• Home
  • >
  • Crime
  • >
  • McKenzie Police Chief’s wife indicted on $60,000 theft charge

McKenzie Police Chief’s wife indicted on $60,000 theft charge

The wife of McKenzie police chief Craig Moates was indicted last week for allegedly stealing more than $60,000 from her former employer.

Deborah Moates, age unavailable, of Eagleville in Williamson County, was arrested on May 16 following a TBI investigation at the request of 21st District Attorney General Kim Helper, according to a news release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The release said that the investigation into Moates, who was a bookkeeper for a software business in Franklin, found that the company had conducted an audit that showed financial discrepancies.

According to the TBI investigation, Moates used the business’ credit card for her personal use, was overpaying her salary and was transferring money from the company’s bank account into accounts of her family members whose names were not released.

The company from which the funds were allegedly taken was not named.

The Williamson County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Moates with one count of theft over $60,000, a Class B felony that carries a sentence of eight to 30 years in prison. She was booked in the Williamson County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

McKenzie Mayor Jill Holland said she became aware of Moates’ charge when the police chief informed her that it would be on Nashville’s Channel 4 news.

“He (Chief Moates) gave me heads up on the day it was to be on Channel 4 news,” she said. “He informed me that he is not implicated.”

The mayor said there is a legal process that has to be followed in the matter.

When the police chief was contacted about the matter, he declined to comment and deferred any comments to his attorney Tommy Santel of the Parkerson Santel law firm of Murfreesboro.

At this time it is not know when she will have to appear in court again.

Related Posts

The Carroll County News-Leader is a full-service, premium newspaper and news website serving Carroll County, Tennessee. We take advantage of today’s digital technology to deliver you the news that matters to you in ways that are only possible in this platform and in print.
Contact us: [email protected]

© Copyright 2024 

newsleaderonline.com, 84 Elks Lodge Rd. Huntingdon, TN