Over $1.4 million mismanaged, new details surface regarding sheriff’s indictment

June 12, 2024

Emily Goodwin,

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — We have continuing coverage on a local sheriff who has served over Gibson County for a decade.

According to the report provided by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, the investigation states Gibson County Sheriff, Paul Thomas, allegedly profited from the labor and care of inmates to enrich himself and a group of investors

The report states in 2020, Thomas and a group of local investors created three for-profit businesses known collectively as the Alliance Group.

It adds, investigators determined that Thomas directed more than $1.4 million dollars in inmate wage fees and deductions to profit the Alliance Group for more than two years.

Thomas, who held a 20% ownership interest in Alliance, was prohibited by state law from profiting or benefiting from the labor of inmates.

According to the report, he received more than $180-thousand dollars in compensation, payroll benefits, and legal representation services from Alliance.

It also says, Thomas allowed 74 inmates, held in the Gibson County Jail, to reside at Orchard House without proper approval by a judge.

And that Thomas showed the jail as the inmate location in the state’s offender management system which resulted in the county collecting more than $500-thousand dollars in reimbursements from TDOC.

The report states Thomas allegedly required the county to disburse these funds to Orchard House without TDOC’s knowledge or consent.

Furthermore, the report says Thomas directed more than 400-thousand dollars of inmate wages to be deposited into a private account owned and controlled by the Alliance Group.

Paul Thomas was indicted by both the Davidson and Gibson County grand juries on a total of 22 counts.

To view the full investigative report click here.

For more news in the Gibson County area, click here.