SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — A former Sevier County deputy clerk accused of accepting bribes to title stolen cars was sentenced to two years of probation on Friday. Brandy Thornton was one of two deputy clerks accused in the case.
On Monday, Aug. 29, Thornton pleaded guilty at the U.S. District Court in Knoxville to a conspiracy charge, according to court documents. As part of her plea deal, her two other charges were dismissed.
The conspiracy charge carried a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release.
She pleaded guilty to titling cars for Juan Jose Lopez Gallardo, who authorities said ran an operation to steal cars in the Miami, Florida area and take them back to Sevier County. Lopez couldn't sell the cars because he didn't have a title, court documents said.
Brandy Thornton pleaded guilty to titling the cars in exchange for cash bribes alongside another former deputy clerk accused in the case.
In March 2022, the other former deputy clerk accused in the scheme, Roberta Webb-Allen, accepted a similar plea deal and pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in exchange for having her other charges dropped. She was also sentenced to two years of probation and had to pay a $5,000 fine.