Former Chattanooga Police Chief Indicted on 17 Charges

Former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy, who resigned from her post Wednesday, has been indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury for 17 alleged crimes, some misdemeanors, and some felonies.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), which said it began investigating Murphy in April, first announced the news of her indictment Thursday morning.

“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,” TBI said.

The charges levied against Murphy (pictured above) are:

• One count of Illegal Voter Registration, a Class D Felony
• One count of False Entries on Official Registration or Election Documents, a Class D felony
• Three counts of False Entries in Governmental Records, Class E Felonies
• Three counts of Forgery, Class A Misdemeanors
• Three counts of Perjury, Class A  Misdemeanors
• Six counts of Official Misconduct, Class E Felonies

Murphy willingly surrendered at the Hamilton County Jail Thursday morning, where she was booked and subsequently released on $19,000 bail.

In the indictment, the Official Misconduct charges claim that Murphy, “between July 1, 2022 and March 24, 2024 in Hamilton County Tennessee … while being a public servant … did unlawfully, knowingly and with intent to obtain a benefit or harm another violate a law relating to her office as a public servant – False Entries in Government Records.”

According to Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-16-402, Official Misconduct occurs when:

A. A public servant commits an offense who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly:

1. Commits an act under color of office or employment that exceeds the public servant’s official power;
2. Violates a law relating to the public servant’s office or employment; or
3. Refrains from performing a duty that is imposed by law or that is clearly inherent in the nature of the public servant’s office or employment;
4. Commits an act relating to the public servant’s office or employment that constitutes an unauthorized exercise of official power;

B. Receives any benefit not otherwise authorized by law.

The sentencing guidelines for Class D felonies in Tennessee recommend two to 12 years in prison upon conviction. They recommend one to six years in prison for Class E felonies and no more than a year for Class A misdemeanors.

Harry Sommers, the Chattanooga Police Department’s current executive chief of police with 40 years of law enforcement experience, will reportedly serve as interim chief of police.

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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X/Twitter.