CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Former Bradley County Commissioner Howard Thompson, who resigned Monday, late this afternoon pleaded guilty in criminal court to attempted theft.
Judge Carroll Ross sentenced Thompson to two years in prison, then suspended the sentence and placed him on probation for that period. The judge dismissed a second count of making a false report.
“You were held in a position of high trust in the community, and you betrayed that trust,” Ross told Thompson, who had been a commissioner for 17 years and represented the county’s 4th District.
Thompson faced the charges relating to the purchase of stolen items at his U.S. Highway 64 flea market in December 2010.
For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
Howard, We hardly knew ye!!
Probation?? So he can continue to buy cheap stolen stuff, mark up his profit and sell to unsuspecting poor folks. Swift UN justice, Judge Ross. Howard had to pay an attorney a might handsome sum to get out of this one and he won't change either.
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