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GoogleEugene Nichols turned himself in to the Bedford County Sheriffs Department Tuesday after he was charged with theft of property and forgery, according to Kristen Helms of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Nichols, 43, allegedly diverted a total of $117,000 in funds from the county's Emergency Management Agency to a personal account over a period of several years, according to state officials.
The 70 counts against Nichols include one count of theft over $60,000; 38 counts of theft from $1,000 to $10,000; two counts of theft between $500 and $1,000; two counts of theft under $500; one count of theft between $10,000 and $60,000; and 26 counts of forgery.
Helms said the investigation was conducted by the state comptroller's office and that TBI assisted with the investigation.
The matter was brought to the comptroller's office's attention in August by Bedford County Finance Director Robert Daniel, according to Roxanna Pierce, communications officer with the state comptroller's office.
Once the comptroller's office made its findings, the evidence was handed over to District Attorney Chuck Crawford, Pierce said. The 70-count indictment was handed down by the Bedford County grand jury on Monday.
Pierce stated that financial records dating from July 1, 2003, until July 30, 2007, have been examined and that the investigation is still ongoing.
Nichols is free on $75,000 bond and will appear in Bedford County General Sessions court on Dec. 22.
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They need to look at other agencys here in Bedford County not just the EMA
This case will be in Circuit Court on the 22nd, not General Sessions. It's already been bound over.
If he has done wrong, I just hope everyone remembers all of the good he has done for EMA. He has been a volunteer since 16 years old, and always help or worked with this organization. Maybe if Mr Johnson stayed in the office any, instead of riding with the sheriff, things like this would not happen.The county should look at who was running that departmentand how it was managed. Nichols is a life long friend, so this is hard to imagine. Good people make mistakes, but they should know better also. I wonder if Stephenson even knows what the EMA stands for or what they do for the county. My prays are with him, for I know he is alone.
My prayers are with him too.....He is a good friend and hard to imagine this either.
tncamper,
If memory serves, Scott Johnson has only been the head of EMA for a little less than 7 years. The period of time Mr. Nichols is alleged to have been committing these crimes is a bit over 10 years. Ergo, the problem preceded Mr. Johnson.
Also, given that it took a full forensic audit to find all the individual transfers alleged seems to indicate that it was very well thought out and carefully carried out. Because of this I find it hard to believe it was a mistake.
Each alleged transfer is charged individually. So,take for instance the single count of Theft over $60,000. Exactly how does one "accidentally" transfer $60,000 from a public account to his or her private account?
My prayers can be with him but he deserves to do his just as anyone else that breaks the law does. As I stated he was Mr. Nosey pants and called the law on some people and they went to jail now it is his turn. He might have done alot of good but did that give him the right to take what he wanted. no it does not.
Would someone want to set this man up, say for something THEY failed to do or Had a GRUDGE against him??? If he did do this, How did in the World did his Superior miss it !! the whole thing sounds like a bogus political setup anyway with the single amounts they are accusing him of taking.
no no schooldaze, 2003 is only five years, not ten. And I know for a fact that he paid for things out of his own pocket for EMA, and then reemburised for it. No one ever said it was accidental, if he did wrong it will show up in the records, there is a lot for them to go through and prove, we will just have to wait and see the out come. But one fact remains, if the money is missing, someone did wrong, and I have always felt managers were hired to manage(be in the office on the job), if you are not there then you are not managing. The courts should decide the outcome, not a blog.....like the poor school teacher from Liberty, she was FRIED before her court date...
Tncamper,
First of all, the court records (public as they are) seem to indicate a 10 year time period for the transfers.
Second, and once again, timeline aside, how does one "accidentally" transfer $60,000 to a personal account. For those who see some dark conspiracy, who would not notice an "extra" 60K showing up in your account?
On the subject of Ms. Bobo - She did not have to enter a plea, was never convicted of anything, was not required to serve a day of probation, paid not a dime of fines or court costs, and kept her job. Exactly how is that "fried"?
How many employers would employers keep anyone on the payroll if they brought a firearm to work?
I appreciate all the calls, concerns and comments made here about the allegations against me, and hey folks thats just what they are allegations. I have lived here in Bedford County all my life. I have served the organization that I allegedy swindled this large amount of money from since I was a kid in school. I don't like what is happening believe me, I don't. But when someone gets it in for you here, you might as well sit down and take it till its over or get ready to fight. Well all I can say is I am not taking this lying down. I have had several of you to offer me money for my leagal expenses. I appreciate that more than you realize. My attorney is Richard Dugger at 218 North Main.
Send him any money you want to my expenses, all I can say is I dont't want a penny of it. I feel that there will be several suits brought and if anything comes from that I don't want those either they will be going to a charitable organization. These numbers that I have been accused of taking are unreal. I have been accused of doing drugs, and God knows what else since I was let go in July since I was no longer competent of doing my job. Most of you don't relize what it takes to work for a public safety agency. The hours and missing all types of family functions. This job cost me a relationship of nearly 20 years and when the powers at be found out about this relationship, it cost me my job. I have not only lost all that but lost my home due to bankruptcy. Is it just coicidence but just days after my bankruptcy was discharged this all shows up. Now the second home, that mys sister made the deposit on, and the only things I kept from the bankruptcy, my car, which I owe own, are about to be lost because of leagal fees and bonds.
I do appreciate all of my freinds that are sticking by me in all this. If I seem a little distant you now know why. I have thought about what to say to all of you. There is no scense in arguing back in forth about this matter, or me. They will do what they want to do, we can fight, and I am going to. But there is no scense in fighting between each other. In closing I wish to thank the T-G for sharing with me the charges that have been levied against me. Now one even the Sheriffs Department couldn't tell me what I was beening charged with other than theft and forgey, but you guys came through as usual.
Thanks Again For your prayers, calls
Eugene Nichols
i hope Eugene is ok this kina supprised me and i hope all will be ok Eugene is my cousin i'm praying for you...ricky
Eugene is dear and have a good hart. I dont know anything about this matter but I hope it will proof wrong. in any case, please remember the person behind the story and give him credit for all the good he did. even if he is guilty, that doesnt take away from his good deeds and his contribution to the organization and the people in it.
farther more, there is no need to throw mud on Mr Johnson. he have nothing to do with the auditing and if they didnt do their job right, he have no way of knowing it. he is a wonderful person and always try to do the right thing.
I wish for all the people that are involve to be strong and hold on until this thing is over.
I know you have given a lot more of your time and yourself than you should not have had to, just to help the public.
My thoughts and prayers are with you
I guess if anyone needs info on this case just ask schooldaze, he has answers the Sheriffs dept couldn't answer....good luck Eugene
That's the first time I have ever seen someone accused of a crime, come on the TG site like this. You need to tell Duggar you did this because you talking about your financial issues just gives more weight to the prosecution on why you may have done this in the first place.
I, too, know Eugene and hope that this is ALL false, because friends, former co-workers, family, etc. do not deserve to be put thru this again.
Hardships placed on family and friends and the thoughts of his former co-workers and customers if proven that this is all true, ALL of his good deeds while in that job will be forgotten.
Still needs to do his time if he did the crime. Doing good for people does not excuse his action