Former Tennessee police chief indicted on 17 charges one day after resigning

A former police chief in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was indicted on 17 charges on Thursday, the day after she tendered her resignation. 

Celeste Murphy, the former chief, was charged with illegal voter registration, false entries on official registration, perjury, forgery, and official misconduct charges, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The charges were brought by a grand jury following an investigation into Murphy's residence in April.

Murphy was reportedly listed as a resident of Fulton County, Georgia, in 2021, just one week before she was sworn in as the chief of the Chattanooga Police Department, according to Law Enforcement Today. Current records also reportedly show she is still receiving a homestead exemption for her home in Atlanta.

"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 in a statement, per Fox News.

Murphy turned herself into the police department on Thursday morning, and was released on a $19,000 bail. 

"While the circumstances surrounding the situation have been challenging, I respect her desire to preserve the integrity of the Chattanooga Police Department," Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly reportedly said when announcing Murphy's resignation.

The department's executive chief of police, Harry Sommers, will be serving as the interim police chief until a new leader is selected. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.