Tennessee Bureau of Investigation clears Bradley County clerk on allegations of missing money

Gayla Miller
Gayla Miller

State investigators have found no evidence that any money is missing from the Bradley County Circuit Court Clerk's office, according to the district attorney's office.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed in October it was looking into allegations of missing money but provided no details.

Circuit Court Clerk Gayla Miller gave the Times Free Press a copy of a letter from 10th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Crump outlining the investigation and the results.

Crump said the first complaint came in December 2016 from Casey Stokes, a judge in Meigs County, who told TBI agent Barry Carrier someone in Miller's office suspected she was converting petty cash for personal use. The same month, County Commissioner Dan Rawls gave Carrier similar information, Crump wrote.

His investigator, Calvin Rockholt, interviewed office employees and reviewed the payment process for background checks and document copies. No employee gave any information or proof of criminal activity, Crump wrote. He added that the state comptroller also had found no problems related to petty cash in that office. The court clerk's office was not providing receipts for background checks and copies during that preliminary inquiry, but adopted the practice thereafter, the DA wrote, and he closed the preliminary inquiry in April.

In July, Crump wrote, renewed allegations came from Constable Dewayne Hicks, who said office employees had not been truthful when interviewed by the district attorney's investigator. Hicks said the workers would tell the truth to the TBI, Crump wrote, so Crump asked the state investigators in with Miller's support.

However, Crump wrote, current and former employees interviewed by the TBI did not change their statements and investigators found no records or evidence indicating theft.

"There is simply no proof of any wrongdoing," he wrote, adding that he is seeking a court order to release the TBI file to the public.

In a statement, Miller thanked Crump's office and the TBI for their "very thorough" investigation and her family, employees and Bradley County residents for their support.

"I don't know the reasoning behind the repeated attacks against my office, unless there is a political motivation of which I am unaware," Miller said in the statement. "It is my hope that the investigation results, showing no findings or truth to the allegation, will finally put to rest any doubt about the integrity of my offices."'

Stokes and Hicks declined to comment Thursday. Rawls said he was doing his job as an elected official.

"I took credible information from a credible source and turned it over to the authorities. I don't think my constituents would want me to have that information and not go forward with it," Rawls said.

Contact staff writer Judy Walton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.

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