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Witt Utility District manager and brother indicted for theft and official misconduct

An investigation found Benjamin Harris used $12,000 of district money to install a new roof and gutters on his home and received "questionable overtime payments."

HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Comptroller's Office said in a release that two people were indicted after an investigation into the Witt Utility District, which serves people in Hamblen and Jefferson counties.

They said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation helped with the investigation, and it covered a period of July 1, 2021, through March 15, 2023. They said Benjamin Harris, the utility district's manager, and his brother, Joseph Harris, were indicted. They said Joseph served as the district water treatment operator.

They said Benjamin misappropriated at least $12,000 by paying a contractor with district money for a new roof and gutters on his personal home. They said his home was included among other district buildings getting new roofs and gutters.

"Benjamin Harris did not personally pay any material or labor costs for his new roof or gutters, and Benjamin Harris instructed the contractor how to bill the district to include but conceal the installation of the new roof and gutters on Benjamin’s personal residence," the report says.

They also said he received "questionable overtime payments" of at least $67,392 from January 2022 through August 2022.

According to a release from the comptroller's office, investigators found no documentation to support the overtime work. They also said during this period, he was paid for an average of 18.65 total daily hours worked.

They said he used district money to buy concrete and then used a portion of the concrete to build a small porch on a board commissioner's farm. The report says Benjamin asserted the commissioner did not know the district paid for the concrete, and the commissioner paid him $2,200 in March 2022.

Credit: Tennessee Comptroller's Office
Benjamin Harris (left) and Joseph Harris (right)

"However, investigators were unable to determine if the payment covered and included the concrete used for the porch construction," the report says.

Both Benjamin and Joseph also used the district's bobcat to perform work at a private business, investigators said.

They said Benjamin used a district truck to drive to a sports bar in Knoxville during working hours, and he admitted to drinking alcohol during those visits.

They said employees of Witt Utility District worked on their personal vehicles in the district's maintenance garage. Investigators also questioned using $5,243 in district money to buy items like food, fuel and supplies that were not itemized with receipts.

They also said the utility district did not solicit competitive sealed bids for some purchases and projects.

The Hamblen County Grand Jury indicted Benjamin for a count of theft of property over $10,000, a count of theft of property of $1,000 or less, and three counts of official misconduct. They said Joseph was also indicted with official misconduct on May 15.

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