Former Commissioner enters guilty plea for money laundering, theft

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office reported in April that Hughes was accused of stealing a total of $256,066 from Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department and Lawrence County Fire and Rescue, which is an umbrella organization through which funds are received, then distributed as appropriated to thirteen fire departments within the county. The crimes allegedly occurred during a 5 ½ year period between May of 2009 and November of 2015. Hughes had served as treasurer for the organizations.

The Comptroller’s report indicated that Hughes obtained the majority of the stolen funds by writing “more than eighty checks to ‘cash’ and cashing them for his personal benefit. He also wrote more than eighty fire and rescue checks to Walmart to purchase gift cards.” The allegations resulted in Hughes being indicted on one count of theft over $250,000, one count of theft over $10,000, and one hundred thirty-six counts of forgery.

In August, District Attorney Brent Cooper announced that Hughes had additionally been indicted on eight-seven counts of money laundering. Those charges stemmed from the more than $40,000 worth of Walmart gift cards that Hughes allegedly purchased fraudulently.

Hughes appeared before Circuit Court Judge Russ Parkes Monday where, under a plea bargain agreement, he entered guilty pleas to one count of theft over $250,000, one count of theft over $10,000, and six counts of money laundering. Theft over $250,000 is a class A felony punishable by fifteen to twenty-five years’ imprisonment. Theft over $10,000 is a class B felony with a penalty of eight to twelve years. The money laundering counts are classified as class C felonies, punishable by three to six years, apiece.

Once the plea was entered, Hughes’ bond was revoked and he was returned into police custody to await sentencing. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Monday, December 5, 2016.