Ex-director of South Pittsburg Housing Authority arrested on theft charges

Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN)

Dec. 16--The former executive director of the South Pittsburg Housing Authority in Marion County has been charged on an indictment with theft over $1,000 in connection with an investigation of the housing authority that already has landed two other officials behind bars.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller's office.

The authority's former executive director, Terry Case, was arrested on an indictment Tuesday charging him with theft of property between $1,000 and $10,000, 12th Judicial District Attorney Mike Taylor said.

Taylor said Case, who is free on a $10,000 bond, is set to appear Friday in Circuit Court for arraignment.

Marion County Director of Schools Mark Griffith said he plans to talk with Case sometime today about his plans in the wake of the arrest.

Case has been a school board member for about 11 years and was chairman recently until he stepped down in September to focus on his insurance business, Griffith said.

"We're still at the allegation stage," Griffith said of the charges. "It is totally outside the school system. It's related to his personal employment although that had to do with the public."

Griffith said Case had "served well" as a school board member prior to the arrest.

In July, former accounting director Jan Brooks and former public housing manager Leslie Jackson were charged with taking almost $230,000 from the South Pittsburg Housing Authority and the South Pittsburg Elderly Housing Authority over a four-year period.

Housing authority officials, including Case, confirmed in March 2014 that an investigation was under way. Case was dismissed by the authority's board in July 2014.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.

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