Sheriff disagrees with prosecutor’s decision in Columbus finance investigation

There will be no more charges coming from the Towaliga Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s investigation into the Columbus Consolidated Government Finance Department, Towaliga deputy chief assistant DA Wayne Jernigan told the Ledger-Enquirer on Wednesday.

Although the investigation is considered to be open until all the cases are closed, Jernigan said, they do not expect any more charges to come from the “limited investigation.”

The prosecutors will continue to look at the charges that already were authorized, he said, and ensure that they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Yvonne Ivey, the former revenue manager for the city, and the city’s finance director, Angelica Alexander, already are facing charges stemming from the investigation.

Ivey was charged with two counts of simple battery. Alexander was charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer (misdemeanor).

Jernigan declined to comment on whether other individuals mentioned in the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office’s 118-page administrative report still may face charges.

The investigation began when former city manager Isaiah Hugley and Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson requested an investigation after Hugley’s personal tax information was released.

The Towaliga Judicial Circuit District Attorney was assigned to the investigation after Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Don Kelly recused himself last year.

Following the release of the sheriff’s administrative report, Ivey and Alexander were arrested and the Columbus Council voted to fire Hugley for “ongoing operational failures and lapses in oversight,” according to the termination letter.

Ivey’s arraignment hearings on both simple battery charges are scheduled for June 16 at 9 a.m. Alexander has an arraignment hearing set for July 25 at 8:30 a.m.

Sheriff’s reaction

Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer he doesn’t agree with the prosecutors.

“I respect their decision, but I don’t see it the same way,” Countryman said.

“Maybe we’re looking at this thing from two different lens, but I digress,” he said.

Countryman said the investigation is not officially closed at this moment.

“It’s going to remain open because we have to do follow-ups,” he said. “But, as far as us doing any further investigations or anything in this first phase, we don’t foresee doing any further investigation.”

“We do have to do all of the follow-ups to make sure that we have all of the I’s dotted and all of the T’s crossed,” Countryman said.

This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 3:09 PM.

Brittany McGee

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Brittany McGee is the community issues reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer. She is a 2021 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Media and Journalism with a second degree in Economics. She began at the Ledger-Enquirer as a Report for America corps member covering the COVID-19 recovery in Columbus. Brittany also covered business for the Ledger-Enquirer.