Witt Utility District manager Benjamin Harris and his brother, Joseph Harris, Witt’s district water treatment operator, have been charged after an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation began in July 2021 and ran through March of this year. The investigation found that Benjamin Harris had misappropriated at least $12,000 by paying for a new roof and gutters on his home and questionable overtime payments of at least $67,000.
This news comes just a few months after the Witt Utility District violated EPA regulations, failing to test for several chemicals in their tap water.
The Hamblen County Grand Jury indicted Benjamin Harris for one count of theft of property over $10,000 and other charges. Joseph Harris was indicted on one count of official misconduct.
