Jackson, MS—A Forrest County man has been arrested and charged with the felonious abuse of a vulnerable person and obstruction of justice, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today. 

Alex Walker, age 23, of Hattiesburg was arrested November 14 by investigators with the Attorney General?s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit following two indictments November 1st by a Jones County Grand Jury.  Alex Walker was working at a care facility in Jones County where the victim resided.

The indictments alleges that Alex Walker “did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously inflict pain or injury upon a vulnerable person? by striking the vulnerable person about the head and face with his hands and fists in violation of 43-47-19 (3) of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended; and then, ?did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously obstruct justice by means of bribing a witness? in violation of 97-9-109 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended.

Walker was booked into the Jones County jail and bond has not been set at this time.  If convicted of the charges against him, he faces up to 25 years behind bars. 

The case is being investigated by Jamie Patrick and will be prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Garland Lyell of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

As with all cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.