City Recorder In Tennessee Indicted On Theft, Misconduct Charges
Photo: Gleason City Hall / Photo Credit: Google Maps
By Jon Styf [The Center Square contributor] –
Gleason’s city recorder has been indicted after being accused of misappropriating more than $12,000, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower said Thursday.
Angela Hunt resigned Dec. 28 and was indicted this month on two counts of theft over $2,500, one count of theft of services and three counts of official misconduct.
Comptroller investigators said Hunt took $8,101 from Gleason and the Weakley County Municipal Electric System by not depositing $7,992 in collections and never recording more than $100 in cash payments from customers.
“Our investigation discovered a number of oversight and policy weaknesses within the Town of Gleason,” Mumpower said. “A few of these deficiencies include: policies were not followed; bank statements were not reconciled; money was not deposited within three days of collection; time sheet records did not match with payroll records; and the town’s credit card policy is inadequate.”
Officials from Gleason said they found Dec. 16 the deposits had not been made into the accounts they were supposed to have arrived in. The comptroller’s office expanded the investigation and said it found Hunt did not pay more than $4,000 in utilities for her home.
Electric bills are considered past due on the fourth of each month with service cutoff occurring on the 11th of the month. Hunt is accused of removing her name from the cutoff list each month.
“Investigators analyzed utility records and discovered Hunt’s personal utility account carried a past due balance for 55 of the 68 months analyzed,” the comptroller’s report read. “Hunt would go three to six months without making a payment on her account, which allowed her balance at times to reach a high of approximately $600.”
Hunt made three payments in early 2019 to bring her account to even.
“On July 23, 2020, Hunt admitted to investigators she was not paying her utility bills in a timely manner as required by the town’s utility billing policy, and she removed her name from the cutoff list at the end of the month on numerous occasions to conceal the fact that her personal utility account was delinquent,” the report read.
***Click HERE to support Conservative Journalism in Tennessee. We can’t bring you stories like this without your support!***
Mumpower also announced Thursday that John Worrell, the assistant director of the Public Works Department in Martin, was indicted on theft charges after being accused of making personal purchases totaling $5,465.26 on his department credit card.
Worrell is accused of using the card to buy children’s toys, clothing and to pay for a Verizon wireless bill and equipment for the phone between March 2017 and November 2019.
Martin reviewed the purchases and found $3,657.61 in personal purchases, which Worrell repaid. The other $1,807.65 remains outstanding. He was indicted for theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and official misconduct.
About the Author:
Jon Styf is a freelance writer for Tennessee and South Carolina. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.
