Former public works head in Tipton Co. charged with stealing $600K

TIPTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A former public works superintendent for a West Tennessee town has been charged with official misconduct and theft over $60,000, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Christopher Trimble

Christopher Trimble, 49, is accused of receiving unauthorized compensation in overtime, vacation time, sick leaves and holiday pay totaling more that $600,000 while he was the public works superintendent for the town of Mason, according to a TBI release.

At the request of 25th District Attorney General Mike Dunavant, TBI agents began investigating the financial accounts of the town’s water fund March 20, 2015, after an audit by the Comptroller’s office found several irregularities, the release states.

The resulting investigation revealed the misconduct occurred from January 2007 through March 2015, according to the release.

The Tipton County Grand Jury returned an indictment Monday charging Trimble with one count of official misconduct and one count of theft over $60,000.

Trimble turned himself in Tuesday night and was booked into the the Tipton County Jail on a $50,000 bond, according to the release.

The audit from the Comptroller’s office will be available Tuesday.