Barnesville, GA – On Wednesday, December 21, 2016, the City of Milner Police Department Chief Jake Sutton requested the GBI to investigate the allegation of missing funds from the City of Milner’s traffic court bank account.  The Lamar County Probate Court is contracted by the City of Milner to manage and access fines for the Milner Police Department’s traffic citations.  Both Chief Sutton and Probate Court Judge Kathy Martin discovered where funds had been taken into the probate court office but never deposited in the City of Milner’s account.  Checks written from the city’s account had bounced due to insufficient funds.  Probate Court Judge Martin and Chief Sutton agreed to contact the GBI to conduct an investigation into the missing funds. 

As a result of the investigation conducted by the GBI, Lamar County Probate Clerk Tanisha Murphy, an 11 year employee at the Probate Office was arrested and charged with Theft by Taking.  Murphy turned herself in to the Lamar County Detention Center on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 where she was processed on the criminal arrest warrant taken by the GBI. 

Joe Wooten-SAC | GBI - Milledgeville | 478/445-4173