SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — A former Sevier County deputy clerk accused in a scheme of accepting bribes to title stolen cars formally pleaded guilty Monday to a conspiracy charge in federal court in exchange for having her other charges dropped, according to her plea agreement.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Tennessee said Roberta Webb-Allen accepted money from a man named Juan Lopez in exchange for “official acts.” She and another deputy clerk, Brandy Thorton, were arrested in October 2021 on several charges.
On March 14, Webb-Allen pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to obtain property in exchange for an official act. Her sentencing has been set for August 23 at 10 a.m.
Once sentenced for the charge, Webb-Allen could face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, along with three years of supervised release. However, federal prosecutors said they are not going to oppose a reduction in her sentence as part of the agreement, saying she is likely to only serve a few months in prison because her actions "largely amounted to helping a colleague."
Prosecutors said Lopez stole vehicles in Miami, Florida, and transported them back to Sevier County. Federal prosecutors said Lopez presented fake titles, false VIN numbers, and fake registration information to Webb-Allen.
Webb-Allen and Thornton were then “willing to overlook” red flags when the fake information did not “add up” in Tennessee and National databases, the filing said. The court said Thornton, Webb-Allen, and Lopez met in parking lots and at a restaurant to exchange title and registration documents.
Federal prosecutors said they used a “confidential source” to record Webb-Allen and Thornton accepting bribes. The filing said Thornton took a bribe and helped the source get a title and registration based on false VIN numbers and fake documents.
Prosecutors said Webb-Allen “quickly admitted” to registering and creating titles for “a large number of vehicles” for Lopez when she was arrested.
Court documents said during a recorded interview, Webb-Allen told investigators customers gave some of the clerks “tips” or “lunch money,” and said her supervisor at the Sevier County Clerk’s Office knew about the tips and reviewed her work daily.
Thornton said she wanted to be tried separately from Webb-Allen because the other deputy clerk's statements to investigators could be entered as evidence.
Federal prosecutors separately charged Lopez and seven others for transporting stolen vehicles to East Tennessee and for distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine in East Tennessee.