Former Siam Utility District office manager indicted for lucrative payroll scam

The former office manager of the Siam Utility District in Carter County is accused of processing questionable payments amounting to more than $98,000.

A Comptroller’s Office report said Royce Gentry was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of official misconduct and theft of property after their office examined payroll records from 2023 to 2025.

Gentry’s hours accounted for 86 percent of the district’s entire overtime pay during the period, and it made up 41 percent of his paychecks, according to the report, claiming 20 hours of overtime per week. Before abruptly abandoning his job in March of last year, investigators said he processed two final checks to himself—they amounted to more than $24,000 for his claims of unused vacation time and sick leave.

Customers of the district complained to its governing board last summer after water rates were increased.

(IMAGE: Property of Tennessee Comptroller’s Office)