For Immediate Release:
October 20, 2026
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Montgomery, Ala) – Attorney General Marshall announced the conviction of Jefferson County man, Russell John Sweeney, on four counts of possession of obscene material, class C felonies. Russell, a former Hoover substitute teacher, was arrested in June 2023 by Special Agents from the Attorney General’s Office and charged with multiple counts of possession of child pornography. The plea deal signed is a twelve-year sentence, split to serve four and register as a sex offender.
“Children rely on the law to protect them when they cannot protect themselves. Mr. Sweeney possessed material depicting the sexual abuse of children, and this conviction holds him accountable for that harm,” stated Attorney General Marshall. “We will keep working to deliver justice for these victims, including those who may never be identified.”
Attorney General Marshall commended the work of his office on this case, specifically Senior Special Agent Colin Bradley, who investigated the case, and Assistant Attorney General Sara Rogan, who prosecuted the case. The Office was assisted in the investigation and arrest by the Hoover Police Department and the University of Alabama Police Regional Evidence and Analysis and Cyber Intelligence Team.
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