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Attorney General Bill Pryor announced Thursday a conviction in Pike County on charges of welfare fraud.

Bobbie Suddith-Smith, 39, of Troy, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Pike County Circuit Court to second-degree theft of property in the amount of $13,389. She was sentenced to one year and one day imprisonment, which was suspended, and placed on probation for five years. The court directed her to pay full restitution to the State of Alabama.

"The welfare fraud unit in my office will continue to work closely with the state and county departments of human resources to find and punish cases of welfare theft," Pryor said.

"It is our duty, both to the taxpayers of Alabama and to the poor and truly needy, to protect these public funds and prosecute those who abuse the welfare system," he said.

The Attorney General commended Assistant Attorney General Ferris Stephens and Special Investigator Larry Chambers for their work in handling the case. Pryor also thanked the Department of Human Resources for its assistance in preparing information and referring the matter to the Attorney General’s Office for review and appropriate action.

This case is part of a continuing statewide effort by the Attorney General to aggressively investigate and prosecute welfare fraud. Since Pryor took office in January of 1997, the Attorney General’s Welfare Fraud Unit has successfully completed prosecutions in 52 counties. Prosecutions are pending in 31 counties, including Autauga, Lowndes, Crenshaw and Montgomery counties.