MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Thursday that the state Grand Jury for Shelby County had indicted a former employee of the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department for allegedly charging families to transport the bodies of deceased loved ones from the Medical Examiner’s Office to the Shelby County Cemetery—a service provided to citizens at no cost.
The Grand Jury indicted Billy Davis, 45, on two counts of solicitation of unlawful compensation.
According to the indictment, while an employee of Shelby County, Davis requested one family pay him $150 in August 2007 and another family pay him $125 in September 2007 to transport the bodies of two deceased individuals. The indictment goes on to say that Davis knew he was to perform this transportation as part of his official duties and without the requested compensation.
Davis was arrested Tuesday and was released Wednesday from the Shelby County Jail on $5,000 bond. An arraignment date has not been set. Davis resigned his position from the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department on September 11, 2007
This case was investigated by Detective Steve Bierbrodt who is assigned to the D.A.’s White Collar Crime Unit by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators believe there may be other victims who were asked to pay for transportation of deceased family members to the Shelby County Cemetery to be buried, which is provided by the county at no cost. If citizens believe they may have paid for this free service, they are encouraged to call the Shelby County D.A.’s White Collar Crime Unit at 901-545-3268.
Solicitation of unlawful compensation is a class E felony, which carries a standard sentence of 1-2 years in prison. |