After reportedly falsifying documents, former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy has been confronted with a 17-count indictment, comprising 14 felony and three misdemeanor charges, just a day after stepping down from her position.

Murphy, under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation since April, faces perjury, official misconduct, unlawful voter registration, and falsification of official documents.

According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, these charges include lying under oath, misusing her position, and fudging official paperwork.

The issue revolves around Murphy’s residency status. “During the investigation, agents determined Murphy knowingly entered false information on several government documents related to establishing residency in Chattanooga, though swearing to their truth in signing the documents,” the TBI said.

The discrepancy became apparent when her Tennessee voter registration clashed with a property tax exemption she claimed in Fulton County, Georgia.

In 2020, Murphy planted her flag in Fulton County, snagging a homestead exemption. When whispers of Murphy’s dual-state dilemma hit the streets in March, she vowed to straighten things out. However, records revealed the former authority was still receiving her Georgia tax break.

Murphy’s predicament is further complicated by Chattanooga’s charter and her own contract, both of which mandated her residence in Tennessee. Tennessee’s Secretary of State notes, “A person can have only one residence.”

Source: Former Tennessee Top Cop, Celeste Murphy, Faces 17-Count Indictment A Day After Resigning