Bradley County clerk faces theft charge

photo Renee Lee Munn
Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

A former accounts payable clerk in Bradley County's finance department is accused of using county money to buy personal items.

Renee Lee Munn, 45, was arrested by TBI agents after her indictment earlier in the week by the Bradley County grand jury on one count of theft and one count of official misconduct.

According to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release, Munn rerouted finance department supplies to her home starting in May without the permission or knowledge of her supervisors.

The release states Munn did not pay shipping charges or taxes on any of the orders and continued to buy personal items on the county's dime.

The total value of the items Munn reportedly bought with county money is $3,200. The shopping continued, TBI officials said, until July, when Munn was confronted over the spending and the district attorney's office requested an investigation.

Munn was booked at the Bradley County Jail. On Friday night, jail officials said Munn was released on a $5,000 bond.

Bradley County Commissioner Jeff Morelock, who represents District 3, said Friday evening that "in the grand scheme of things," the incident will not cause lasting damage.

"Anytime you get caught dipping your pen in the public ink, it isn't minor," he said, "but it wasn't a whole lot of money."

Morelock said he believes some of the companies that shipped to Munn's residence are going to reimburse the county.

Mel Griffith, District 6 commissioner, said Friday that he's "not really" surprised by the accusations that a county employee was putting taxpayers' money to personal use.

"You get a few bad apples everywhere every once in a while," he said.

Both Morelock and Griffith said the incident was handled quickly. "She was immediately let go," Morelock said.

Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.

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