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The former Jackson County Drug Prevention Coalition Executive Director sentenced to 15 months in prison for embezzlement.
51-year-old Patrick Martin allegedly embezzled $211,000 from the coalition while serving as director. Beginning in 2014, Martin used federal grant funding meant for drug free programs to instead purchase an automobile, pay personal bills, home renovations and other items.
Martin also withheld money from the IRS, filled false income tax returns and committed wire fraud. He pled guilty to these charges in 2021 after being initially charged in 2019.
Martin was ordered to pay some $500,000 in restitution with $375,000 to be paid to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the agency that awarded the grants. Some $130,000 will be be paid to the IRS.
Martin was also ordered to forfeit $211,795.84. U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee announced the sentencing Monday.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the IRS – Criminal Investigation; and the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Levine prosecuted the case.
