Coffee County, Ala (WDNews) – A Coffee County woman was sentenced Wednesday after admitting to stealing more than $121,000 from a local business she was entrusted to manage.
On Nov. 12, 2025, Defendant Shelby Mote appeared before Circuit Judge Jeff Kelley for sentencing on one count of Theft of Property First Degree. Mote previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2025, after investigators uncovered a long-running scheme carried out while she worked for a local accounting office.
According to testimony, Mote handled bookkeeping and payroll duties for the victim’s business and used that access to steal approximately $121,000 over several years. The thefts led to unpaid payroll taxes and mandatory withholdings, leaving the victim facing fines and penalties from both the IRS and the Alabama Department of Revenue. Officials say the victim is “continuing to deal with the effects” nearly two years after Mote’s January 2024 arrest.
When given the chance to speak during sentencing, Mote declined.
Judge Kelley sentenced her to 130 months in the Alabama Department of Corrections, splitting the sentence for 15 months to be served day for day. The remaining 115 months were suspended and replaced with 115 months of probation.
Coffee County District Attorney James Tarbox, who prosecuted the case, said, “We appreciate the court’s sentence in this case. It does not repair the damage that the victim in this case has incurred to include financial loss and emotional distress, but the sentence does send a message. That message is that even if you have no criminal record, if you decide to steal someone’s hard earned money, you can and you will be sent to prison in the 12th Judicial Circuit.”
Tarbox added, “To me it was telling that Defendant Mote did not even apologize for her actions. Now she will have 15 months day for day to think about it and then almost 10 years on probation to remind her of the consequences of her actions.”
The District Attorney’s Office also thanked the Elba Police Department and Investigator Lt. Russ Young for their work in bringing Mote to justice.
