Alabama Rep. Kelvin Lawrence avoids jail time as part of plea deal
Lawrence will remain in the Legislature and have his record expunged if he completes a diversion program requiring 300 hours of community service.
State Representative Kelvin Lawrence last week entered into a plea agreement that will see him avoid jail time and have his record expunged should he complete court-mandated public service. He will still serve in the Alabama Legislature.
Lawrence, D-Hayneville, has been fighting charges that he forged a homebuilder’s license since July 2024. He originally entered a not-guilty plea to a pair of class-C felony forgery charges—one for forging the license and another for possessing a forged instrument with an intent to defraud.
A source familiar with the situation previously told APR that Lawrence had obtained the license for a bid job and that he never personally benefited from anything that took place.
Last week’s plea agreement saw Lawrence plead guilty to a single count of forgery and receive a 37-month sentence that will be split and then suspended as he completes a pre-trial diversion program. That program, which requires 300 hours of community service within the next year, will see Lawrence’s record wiped clean once completed.
Lawrence said he intends to serve the constituents who re-elected him despite the pending indictment. Lawrence won re-election, defeating Republican Josh Pendergrass, one day before officially agreeing to the plea deal.
A spokesperson for the Alabama Attorney General’s Office told 1819 News on Monday that Lawrence can serve during his pre-trial diversion program because he has not been convicted of a felony.
