State comptroller: West Tennessee prosecutor indicted in financial misconduct case

A West Tennessee grand jury this month indicted a prosecutor in connection with a misconduct case in which he is accused of wrongfully obtaining salary and travel payment dating back to 2017, the state comptroller announced Tuesday.

The Carroll County Grand Jury indicted Thomas Tansil Jr. on one count of theft over $10,000, one count of official misconduct, one count of tampering with governmental records, and one count of computer offenses.

Tansil was an assistant district attorney general in 24th Judicial District. That territory includes the following counties: Henry, Carroll, Benton, Decatur and Hardin.

According to a release from state Comptroller Justin P. Wilson, investigators determined Tansil wrongfully obtained nearly $23,000 in state salary and travel expense reimbursements between Aug. 1, 2017 and Jan. 31, 2020.

Authorities allege Tansil:

• Was paid $7,235.93 for 22 days of military leave when he was not on military orders or on drill status with the U.S. Navy. 
• Was paid $5,453.99 for 16 days of military leave after he had already used the number of days permitted by state policy each year.
• Took at least 141 hours of annual leave and sick leave that he did not have. Tansil had already exhausted his available leave when he was paid $6,333.15 for these hours.
• Falsified travel claims totaling $3,717.29. Tansil admitted that he was not always traveling when he claimed to be. He was also paid for travel when he was on leave.

Additionally, investigators are questioning nearly $136,000 in salary and travel reimbursements paid to Tansil. Authorities said he admitted he did not work 25 percent of the time he claimed to work between July 1, 2018 and Jan. 31.

According to the comptroller's office, the District Attorney General of the 10th Judicial District has been appointed to prosecute Tansil's case.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking news in Nashville for USA TODAY NETWORK - TENNESSEE. Reach her at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.