County commissioner pleads guilty to jury tampering, terroristic threats

ASHBURN - Turner County Commissioner Ben Walker will not be allowed in the four counties of the Tift Judicial Circuit after pleading guilty to jury tampering and making terroristic threats. <br> <br> District Attorney Paul Bowden&#39;s office said Tuesday that Walker entered guilty pleas Friday to three counts of jury tampering and one felony charge of terroristic threats and acts. <br> <br> Chief Judge Gary McCorvey sentenced Walker to five years on each of the four counts, to run consecutively. <br> <br> Walker, who has been in jail since his arrest October 16, 2001, however, was released Friday. He will serve the rest of his 20-year sentence on probation. <br> <br> Walker will not be allowed to enter the counties of Turner, Tift, Worth or Irwin counties unless given permission by authorities. The D.A.&#39;s office said it is believed he went to Alabama to live with relatives. <br> <br> Walker allegedly contacted a juror in a criminal case, forcing the judge to dismiss an entire panel of jurors.