Dickson Attorney Sentenced To Federal Prison For Stealing Over $1.36M From Trust Funds Of Clients

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 22, 2019 - Jackie Lynn Garton, 54, of Dickson, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for stealing more than $1.36 million from the trust funds of clients, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson ordered Garton to be taken into custody immediately at the conclusion of the hearing.

Garton, a practicing attorney in Dickson, was charged in December 2018 with wire fraud, tax fraud and aggravated identity theft and pleaded guilty to all charges.

According to court documents, Garton served as the trustee for several estates, including the daughter of a Tennessee State Trooper who was killed in the line of duty in 2005. Beginning in 2009, Garton began withdrawing funds under false pretenses from her account and others, without the clients’ knowledge. Garton converted the funds into cashier’s checks and used the money to enrich his lifestyle, including purchasing luxury items including a Jaguar automobile, a boat and a house.

The deceased Trooper’s daughter was unaware of the account withdrawals until 2017, when at age 24, she wanted to open a bookstore, only to learn that her account had been depleted. Garton admitted that he stole approximately $1.2 million dollars from this client and a total of more than $1.36 million from her and other clients.

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/dickson-attorney-sentenced-federal-prison-stealing-over-136-million-trust-funds-clients