An inquiry conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has culminated in the indictment of Freddie Byrd, who previously served as the general manager of the Tarpley Shop Utility District (TSUD) located in Pulaski. A press release from the Comptroller’s Office detailed the findings of the investigation, which uncovered that Byrd had misappropriated district funds for personal purchases amounting to $7,939.55 over a period spanning from 2017 to 2023. The majority of these expenditures were related to battery-operated tools, small equipment and repairs, as well as vehicle parts that were not compatible with any vehicles owned by the district.
In addition to these purchases, Byrd was found to have made other dubious transactions totaling $9,849.64 from various vendors. Investigators faced challenges in verifying whether all these purchases were utilized solely for official district operations. The inquiry further exposed that there were $25,035.79 in questionable fuel purchases made using TSUD funds. Due to insufficient documentation, investigators could not ascertain if all the fuel bought was exclusively for district-related activities.
As a result of the findings from this investigation, the Giles County Grand Jury issued an indictment against Freddie Byrd on July 10, 2024. The charges include one count of theft exceeding $2,500 but less than $10,000, along with two counts of official misconduct. Prior to its merger with the South Giles Utility District earlier this year, TSUD was responsible for providing water services to approximately 1,200 customers.
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