Nicole June Reporting
njune@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The airport director at the Clarksville Montgomery-County Regional Airport, also known as Outlaw Field, has been charged with theft and forgery, according to a release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
John Patterson, 42, was indicted last week on one count of theft over $10,000 and 18 counts of forgery. TBI said between 2007 and 2011, while working as the Warren County Airport Director, Patterson was forging daily logs at the airport, which kept a running total of cash and credits coming into the airport.
“On several occasions, Patterson would white out on the log the amount of cash taken in, change the amount on the log and pocket the cash for himself,” said Kristen Helm of TBI.
Approximately $17,500 in cash went missing during this time, and the Tennessee Comptroller’s office annual audit revealed the missing funds. The 31st Judicial District Attorney’s Office requested a TBI investigation in March 2012. Patterson told ClarksvilleNow he did not have any knowledge of the missing funds during his time at the Warren County Airport, but was informed around the same time in 2012, after the completion of the audit.
“I did not see anything that raised any red flags to any wrongdoing or I would have said something,” Patterson said. “I disagree with the accusations because when I left I thought everything was in good order.”
Patterson was booked into the Warren County Jail Monday, Aug. 19 after voluntarily surrendering and was released on $20,000 bond.
Patterson’s position as Airport Director is uncertain at this time. “I have been completely open and forthright with the airport authority and my fate is in their hands,”he said. “I’m looking forward to my day in court. This has been kind of one-sided up until this point and it will finally be an opportunity for me to present my side.”