A prominent local resident will serve a year in jail after entering a plea agreement Wednesday to embezzling over $60,000 from his former company.

Chuck Mayfield, 69, was ordered to serve 364 days of an eight-year sentence after entering a plea to theft over $60,000. The case has been pending for more than five years since Mayfield was indicted in 2015.

“He was originally charged with theft over $250,000, which is a Class A felony,” said District Attorney General Lisa Zavogiannis. “We amended it down to a Class B felony with this plea agreement. I think it was a reasonable settlement.”

The criminal charge surrounds Tennessee Easel, a business which was co-owned by Mayfield and Miles Wilson. Mayfield said it was his understanding the issue would be handled in civil court since it was a partnership dispute, but criminal charges were leveled after a TBI investigation.

Wilson initiated the investigation when he said Mayfield bypassed their partnership by selling merchandise made at Tennessee Easel directly to customers on his own and depositing that money into a private account. Tennessee Easel made stands for floral arrangements often seen at funeral homes and cemeteries and did business in nine states. The company has since been sold to new owners.

When reached for comment Thursday, Mayfield opted not to discuss specifics of the case, saying his attorney advised him against it. He has 30 days to report to Warren County Jail to begin serving his sentence.

“The one good thing that came out of all this is my whole family is now members of the Lord’s church and there’s no price tag that can be placed on that,” said Mayfield, who thanked Charlie Pearson and the Centertown Church of Christ congregation for their support. “I didn’t get caught with anything and I tried to make it right with my partner, but I took the brunt of it all. Hopefully I’ll do my time and live out the rest of my life in peace.” 

Mayfield is a well-known local resident who served in the Navy for over 20 years and spent seven years in the National Guard. He was the veterans service officer for Warren County from 2006 to March, 2014. 

Mayfield ran for the office of county court clerk in 2006 upon the retirement of H. David Smartt.