Rainsville Wastewater supervisor sentenced after illegal wine operation

RAINSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A Rainsville man will serve a 90 day sentence after pleading guilty to operating an illegal winery inside of a city sewage facility.

Allen Maurice Stiefel resigned from his position as supervisor at the Rainsville Wastewater Facility in December.

He stepped down from his position of 15 years after deputies discovered an unlicensed winery operation inside the city building.

This month, Stiefel entered a guilty plea and received a suspended sentence of 90 days. He is also being asked to pay an undisclosed fine and cover court costs.

Deputies with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office discovered the operation after receiving an anonymous tip back in December 2020.

Upon his guilty plea, a District Attorney from Fort Payne says his case was dismissed.