Former General Manager of the Tarpley Shop Utility District Indicted

AN INVESTIGATION BY THE TENNESSEE COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE HAS RESULTED IN THE INDICTMENT OF FREDDIE BYRD, THE FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF THE TARPLEY SHOP UTILITY DISTRICT (TSUD) IN PULASKI. ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE, INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THAT BYRD MADE PERSONAL PURCHASES WITH DISTRICT FUNDS TOTALING $7,939.55 BETWEEN 2017 AND 2023. THE MAJORITY OF THESE PURCHASES INCLUDED BATTERY-OPERATED TOOLS; SMALL EQUIPMENT AND REPAIRS; AND VEHICLE PARTS THAT DID NOT FIT DISTRICT-OWNED VEHICLES.  BYRD MADE OTHER QUESTIONABLE PURCHASES WITH DISTRICT FUNDS TOTALING $9,849.64 FROM A VARIETY OF VENDORS. INVESTIGATORS WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF THE ALL THE PURCHASES WERE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR OFFICIAL DISTRICT PURPOSES. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT $25,035.79 IN QUESTIONABLE FUEL PURCHASES WERE MADE WITH TSUD FUNDS. DUE TO A LACK OF DOCUMENTATION, INVESTIGATORS WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE IF ALL THE FUEL PURCHASES WERE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR DISTRICT PURPOSES. BASED UPON THIS INVESTIGATION, ON JULY 10, 2024, THE GILES COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTED FREDDIE BYRD ON ONE COUNT OF THEFT OVER $2,500 BUT LESS THAN $10,000, AND TWO COUNTS OF OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT. TSUD PROVIDED WATER SERVICE TO APPROXIMATELY 1,200 CUSTOMERS PRIOR TO ITS MERGER WITH SOUTH GILES UTILITY DISTRICT EARLIER THIS YEAR.