STARKVILLE – Three men face felony embezzlement charges for allegedly stealing city trash bags while working for the sanitation department.
Dylan Coleman, 20, of Sturgis, Douglas Erwin, 31 and Stevenson Tutton Jr., 30, both of Starkville, were all arrested Tuesday, according to a Starkville Police Department press release. They allegedly stole rolls of bags from the sanitation department that are part of the city’s annual program that supplies garbage bags to residents.
Sgt. Brandon Lovelady, SPD’s public information officer, would not specify the amount of bag rolls the suspects are accused of stealing, but he said the embezzlement occurred in July.
Embezzling public resources is a felony, regardless of the value of what was taken.
According to records Human Resources Director Navarrete Ashford provided The Dispatch upon request, Tutton started at the sanitation department in March 2023, Coleman in September 2023 and Erwin in May of this year. All three were terminated Monday.
Coleman and Erwin each posted $5,000 bonds and were released from Oktibbeha County Jail. Tutton was released on $7,000 bond, which also included a domestic violence charge from an outstanding warrant.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
