JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) - A judge has dropped five felony charges against a former Georgia sheriff, reducing the number of criminal counts to 32.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the theft and racketeering charges were dropped Friday for former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill.

Hill is accused of ordering an employee to help him write a book, using official funds to pay for a vacation rental and placing a county worker on administrative leave to travel with him. Hill is expected to go on trial on Nov. 26.

Hill defeated the sheriff Kem Kimbrough in a runoff election in August and says the charges are politically motivated.

A write-in candidate is challenging Hill in the November election.

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