Hawkins County resident pays back more than $20,000 to Tennessee agriculture in theft case

A Hawkins County resident has received judicial diversion in a case brought to court by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

An agency report said James Clinton Lawson has paid back more than $21,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to five counts of felony theft of property involving state agriculture funds.

Secretary of Agriculture Andy Holt said his department has a responsibility to make sure their funding is used as intended.

A published report said Lawson was investigated after Lawson was unable to provide proof of equipment and facilities paid for with the funding when investigators performed a spot check on Lawson’s property. He was also given deferred prosecution by a county judge and placed him on 11 years of probation.