SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A grand jury indicted Brandy Thornton and Roberta Webb-Allen for state crimes involving accepting bribes and knowingly creating titles for cars with fraudulent VIN numbers.
The two appeared in Sevier County Circuit Court Tuesday morning for their arraignment. Thornton is facing 13 counts on three separate indictments, while Webb-Allen faces ten counts on two indictments.
Thornton is charged with:
- 3 counts of bribery of a public servant
- 3 counts of official misconduct
- 2 counts of tampering with evidence
- 1 count of forgery
- 1 count of criminal simulation
Webb-Allen is charged with:
- 4 counts of tampering with governmental records
- 2 counts of forgery
- 2 counts of criminal simulation
- 2 counts of official misconduct
Both pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Public records said Webb-Allen married Sevier County Commissioner Ronnie Allen in 2018.
The indictments say Thornton and Allen received "payment in United States currency" for "intentionally forcing the registration and creation of a vehicle title using a vehicle identification number that she knew to be fraudulent."
Last week, the FBI raided the Sevier County Courthouse. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Thornton and Allen for accepting "cash payments in exchange for official acts."
In the federal indictment, prosecutors said the two deputy clerks worked with Juan Jose Lopez Gallardo, who is facing criminal charges for conspiring to distribute cocaine and obtaining false title and registration for stolen vehicles.
A trial date for the federal case is set for December, the state case will likely proceed after the federal trial.
The Sevier County Human Resources department said Allen joined the county in 2013 and Thornton started working there in 2002.