Prosecutors: Memphis clerk diverted traffic citation money into her pockets

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White-collar criminal case

Terry Hollahan

Editor- Memphis Business Journal

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An employee in the Memphis City Court Clerk's office has been indicted by a federal grand for embezzling traffic citation funds.

Tammy Brooks Carpenter, 41, of Memphis, faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted on the one-count indictment.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee, one of Carpenter's duties was to accept payment for motor vehicle citations and electronically enter the payments into a computer system. The indictment alleges that from December 2012 to December 2013, Carpenter would enter payments and then void the original payment and enter a smaller amount into the system, taking the remaining funds for herself.

Prosecutors say she voided about 188 citations, embezzling approximately $24,000 over the course of that year. Most of those voided citations had a Hispanic surname.

"As the indictment alleges, Tammy Brooks Carpenter orchestrated a scheme to enrich herself by embezzling and converting thousands of dollars of traffic ticket payments intended for City of Memphis coffers," said U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III. "She then allegedly took her brazen scheme one step further by targeting and preying upon vulnerable members of the Hispanic community. We will not tolerate corrupt public officials and will do everything in our power to hold them accountable."

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Police Department and the Tarnished Badge Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Coleman.