Attorney faces 2 more counts of human trafficking

Published 4:50 pm Saturday, March 10, 2018

David Palmer

dpalmer@cullmantimes.com

A Cullman attorney was arrested Saturday on two counts of human trafficking, just a week after he was charged with similar offenses in an ongoing investigation.

James Hames, 75, was charged with first- and second-degree human trafficking and taken to the Cullman County Detention Center where he posted an $80,000 property bond was freed, said Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry.

Hames was arrested Monday and charged two counts of human trafficking. Prior to that arrest he was arrested for stalking and solicitation of prostitution.

“These are new warrants that were issued for his arrest because of the investigation,” Gentry said.

Tomeka Bartlett and Kayla Carreker, two renters at a trailer park Hames owns, previously had accused Hames of offering to waive their rent payments if they would have sex with him. Those accusations led to arrest warrants and two charges in February of 2nd degree stalking, as well as two charges of soliciting prostitution.

Court records indicate Bartlett and Carreker also had applied for a protection from abuse order.

Hames was booked into the Cullman County Detention Center on bond of $15,000 for the original two trafficking counts. He was arrested at the Cullman County Courthouse on those charges, according to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office.

Hames has been able to make bond for all of the arrests.

Hames has held an Alabama law license since 1999. Because Hames is a member of the local bar association, Cullman County’s circuit judges already had recused themselves from his misdemeanor cases. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Lyn Stuart appointed Madison County Circuit Judge Donna Pate to those cases.

David Palmer may be contacted at 256-734-2131, ext. 116.