William Lawson.; image courtesy of TBI

UNICOI COUNTY – An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Unicoi County attorney. William Branch Lawson was charged with stealing money from his clients.

In May, at the request of Assistant District Attorney General Justin Walling with the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, TBI Special Agents began investigating allegations of theft against Lawson. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that between October 2018 and June 2019, Lawson (DOB 5/31/49) stole more than $65,000 from his clients.

Last week, the Unicoi County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Lawson with one count of Theft over $60,000 and one count of Theft over $1,000. Today, he turned himself in and was booked into the Unicoi County Jail on a $25,000 bond.