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Overton County Clerk Victoria Looper pled guilty Thursday to accessing a state computer and gaining personal benefit from it.
Looper appeared in front of Judge Gary McKenzie in Overton County. The sentencing was diverted after Looper admitted to a violation of the State Computer Act.
According to District Attorney Bryant Dunaway, the action is a Class C Felony. Looper shared a written statement provided by her attorney Brett Knight:
“I made some mistakes based on poor judgment,” Looper said. “I have admitted to these and cooperated with the investigation. I believe when you make a mistake you should own up to it and take the punishment, then you can move on from it and do better in the future. I have admitted that I broke the law when I accessed a State computer for my own benefit. I have now pled guilty to that and will take the punishment. I have only asked that I be treated like anyone else who has never broke the law before. I am sorry for my action and will work hard to earn the trust of my community I love so much.”
Dunaway shared a release Thursday regarding the plea deal. Upon review of the Comptroller’s report, Dunaway’s office believed that several violations of criminal law had likely been committed.
However, it was also determined that several of the alleged criminal acts were committed several years ago and were no longer prosecutable because the statute of limitations had expired.
The office did determine that Looper committed the criminal offense of Violating the Tennessee Computer Act.
“As to that offense, Victoria Looper obtained original car titles from various sources,” Dunaway said in the release. “The vehicle titles were for automobiles that no longer existed. One such vehicle was a 1949 Cadillac that had been destroyed in a fire 20 years ago. Ms. Looper then accessed the State government computer system and database for the purpose of transferring the titles to the vehicles in question to her own name and the names of some family members. Looper took the new vehicle titles to the bank and applied for two secured loans using the car titles as collateral for the loans. During the investigation, it was also discovered that Looper did pay the loans back. As a result, there is no restitution owed to the financial institution.”
Looper will be on diversion for three years on supervised probation by the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Once completed, the charge will be expunged, according to Knight.
“This agreement was reached because this is a non-violent computer crime by a person with no criminal history,” Knight said.
Knight said the plea does not require Looper to leave her position. Looper will also serve no time. Knight said this resolves all criminal matters that could stem from the State Comptroller’s findings.
