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Nichols pleads guilty to theft

Thursday, May 28, 2009
By Brian Mosely

The former deputy director of the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency could be facing a sentence of eight to 12 years after pleading guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $60,000.

Eugene Nichols will learn what his punishment will be on July 20 when a sentencing hearing will be conducted by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler.

Eugene Nichols enters an open plea of guilty Wednesday to a Class B felony, which could result in a sentence of eight to 12 years.
(T-G Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]
Nichols was facing a 70-count indictment after being accused of diverting a total of $117,000 in funds from the county's Emergency Management Agency to a personal account over a period of several years.

He made an open plea of guilty to a single count of theft over $60,000 -- a Class B felony that carries as much as an eight- to 30-year sentence.

But since Nichols has no previous criminal record, his punishment would fall into the range of eight to 12 years, according to Nichols' attorney Richard Dugger.

The remainder of the charges -- 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 -- were all dismissed.

The investigation into the embezzlement was conducted by the state comptroller's office, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations assisted with the matter.

The case was brought to the comptroller's office's attention in last 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 a Bedford County grand jury last November.

Pierce stated at the time that financial records dating from July 1, 2003, until July 30, 2007, had been examined and that the investigation is still ongoing.

Comments

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WHAT!!! How many other people would get the same deal? Dropped over 50 more charges. That just tells us about our judicial system in Bedford County.

-- Posted by chip46 on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 10:01 AM

Incredible ! Mr. Nichols is facing 70 counts, and he's convicted of one, and 69 are dismissed. Mr. Dugger must have been holding a gun on Mr. Crigler...

But hey, it's only $117,000 dollars of taxpayer money he took... No big deal to anybody but the taxpayer, right ? I know I'll be happy to see him out in 8 years...

-- Posted by superx1250 on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 10:10 AM

Response by Brian Mosely:

I should point out that the charge Nichols pleaded guilty to encompasses all the other charges. There was no criminal activity that was charged not covered by this plea. Each of the individual actions was charged (with the multiple counts) and there was one "catch-all" charge (the Class B felony) as alternative theory of the same crime. It represented a plea to the most serious offense charged. Sorry for the confusion.

And people thought we were paying Mr Robert Daniel too much. I think not. Good job Robert.

-- Posted by Black Swan on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 10:27 AM

I bet he ate up most of that $ 60,000.00

-- Posted by tatersue on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 11:20 AM

wow i'm supprised i didnt expect him to plead guilty

-- Posted by kitbuilder on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 12:03 PM

Yep...pretty sad. Should have had to plea to a few more counts even if they ran them at the same time...I'm sure he will get probation since he has no prior record. He'll have to pay some restitution...so just a slap on the wrist basically. Judge Crigler doesn't seem to have much of a spine when it comes to sentencing. He's afraid he'll make a criminal mad or something.

-- Posted by justmytwocentsworth on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 1:37 PM

lol hey now lay offf dugger! he just got that charm about him that keeps his clients out of serious jail time! besides that, hes been around forever! Go Dugger!

-- Posted by Mommy_of_2_girls on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 1:48 PM

are we forgetting the other charges. if they were dismissed, who are they going after for the rest of the money?????? And we wonder why the county doesn't have money.... the little guy takes the fall , and the guilty party goes free.Hope they sleep well at night

-- Posted by angelseverywhere on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 1:51 PM

You got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by RebaJean on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 2:37 PM

Please check your facts:

It's a matter of public record that this will not be Mr. Nichol's first felony conviction. This is a prime example of why the county needs to conduct background checks on all applicants. Also if one reads the state audit report it is obvious Mr. Daniels is not the person who discovered this.

-- Posted by majo on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 3:10 PM

The count that he pled guilty to covers all the money that he stole. The counts that were dismissed were duplicate counts, so he really didn't get a deal. Also, Dugger is incorrect about Nichols' prior record. Nichols has a felony conviction for passing a worthless check in Coffee County in 1985. He got a 4 year sentence.

-- Posted by bloodhound on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 3:12 PM

OMG!!! REALLY???? WOW!!! NO WAY........REALLY??

-- Posted by angelseverywhere on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 3:40 PM

What happened to all the folks assuring us of his innocence?

-- Posted by Schooldaze on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 5:05 PM

bloodhound,

You are correct that he has a prior conviction, but the charges were for multiple checks, not just one, and if memory serves he also was convicted in Bedford County as well.

Perhaps he had them expunged as part of this(these) prior conviction(s).

-- Posted by ghostrider on Thu, May 28, 2009, at 7:44 PM

Richard Dugger is a good person and as of an honest and prepared lawyer as can represent a person in a court of law.As far as Mr Nichols,he has plead guilty,with charges modified.A real problem is about how Mr Nichols ever got the job that put him in a position of wrongdoing.So his backers need to be looked at as their judgment on recommending anyone for a job from now on is suspect.They did not do their job!!!

-- Posted by grandpat on Fri, May 29, 2009, at 5:23 AM

Welp Eugene you called the police on me one day and I went to jail because of you where being nosey.....what now bye bye someone is going to the pokey. Wheres tatersue when you need her, lol. Justice served in my book.

-- Posted by delepooh on Thu, Jun 4, 2009, at 2:43 PM