Former Minor Hill recorder indicted, accused of misappropriating city funds

MINOR HILL, Tenn. - Two investigative reports from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury have led to the indictment of Ashley Stogner, the former recorder for the City of Minor Hill in Giles County, who also worked as a bookkeeper for the Minor Hill Utility District.

According to the Comptroller’s findings, Stogner is alleged to have misappropriated more than $105,000 in city funds between August 2021 and September 2024. The investigative reports state she allegedly issued unauthorized payroll checks to herself, transferred money from the city’s PayPal account to her personal account, took cash collections belonging to the city, and misappropriated donations intended for the Minor Hill Public Library. Investigators also allege that she forged the mayor’s signature on more than 300 city checks, including over 200 of her own paychecks.

The Comptroller’s Office further determined that, while working for the Minor Hill Utility District, Stogner allegedly misappropriated nearly $2,000 by using district funds to pay off a personal court judgment in Giles County General Sessions Court. Instead of deducting the required garnishments from her wages, investigators say she prepared checks from the district’s account.

Based on these findings, the Giles County Grand Jury indicted Stogner in July 2025 on nine counts, including theft of property, forgery, official misconduct, and violation of the Computer Crimes Act.

“These cases should serve as a wake-up call for all government entities to strengthen their oversight, enforce clear policies, and ensure that no single employee has unchecked control over financial processes,” said Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower in a statement. “The failure to implement financial safeguards allowed a significant amount of public money to be misappropriated.”

The full investigative reports can be viewed at tncot.cc/doireports, and a map of ongoing and past investigations is available at tncot.cc/mappinginvestigations.

The Comptroller’s Office encourages anyone who suspects fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds in Tennessee to call its toll-free hotline at 1-800-232-5454 or file a report online at tncot.cc/fraud.