MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two former Mt. Juliet IT employees were fired last month after an investigation found they allegedly sold city-owned cell phones for personal profit and engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships during work hours on city property.
IT Director Travis Taylor and IT Technician River Johnson were terminated Oct. 7 following a city investigation that began Sept. 30 after an anonymous tip to the Mt. Juliet Police Department.
According to termination letters obtained through a public records request, Johnson partnered with Taylor, his supervisor, in a "scheme to sell old city-used cell phones for personal profit." The documents state Johnson helped cover up the transactions to benefit himself.
The investigation also found both employees violated city policies by engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships on the clock and on city property, though it's unclear who the relationships were with.
Taylor had worked for Mt. Juliet since June 2008 and received exemplary employee reviews throughout his tenure. Supervisor Kenny Martin once wrote in a review, "Travis you are awesome... there is nothing I would change about you."
"I find it very unsettling. Someone would steal from a city government," one taxpayer said. "Literally what they're doing is they're stealing from taxpayers. They're taking our money."
Another resident expressed concern about oversight, saying if the allegations are true, "the city needs to use this experience to examine the kind of controls or puts controls in place so people can't just order stuff and then resell it without some type of oversight."
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now handling the case at the request of District Attorney General Jason Lawson. No official charges have been filed.
Both Taylor and Johnson were contacted at their last listed phone numbers but did not respond to requests for comment. The city has not commented beyond confirming the firings.
This story raises questions about oversight in local government. If you've seen questionable practices with public equipment or employee conduct, email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com. Your information could help uncover important stories.
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