Tennessee Vice Mayor One of Three Charged with Alleged Food Stamp Fraud Conspiracy

A vice mayor of a Tennessee town is one of three people accused of carrying out an alleged food stamp fraud scheme.

A Campbell County grand jury handed down an 80-count indictment against LaFollette Vice Mayor Joseph David Bolinger, 68, and two others for their role in a food stamp fraud conspiracy scheme, Knox News reported.

Bolinger, along with Jennifer Lynn Brown and Jimmie Ivey, turned themselves in and had been booked into Campbell County’s jail on Wednesday.

Bolinger faces one count of criminal conspiracy and four counts of fraudulently receiving food stamp benefits, according to the jury’s indictment. Authorities have not yet disclosed his role in the alleged food stamp fraud scheme.

Brown, 34, faces five counts of fraudulent receiving food stamps and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Ivey, 62, faces 70 counts of petty theft, five counts of fraudulently receiving food stamps, one count of criminal conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to sell and distribute marijuana, and one count of attempted grand theft, according to the indictment.

Ivey and Brown worked at the Pop Shop, a store in town where people with food stamp benefits allegedly sold items purchased from other stores and traded the items for cash, WATE reports.

After benefit recipients sold the store their goods, the store’s employees allegedly sold the items at a profit.

Ivey was the owner and Brown was an employee of the store.

All three suspects posted bond and are due back in court on June 18.