MATT SWEARENGIN, managing editor

The mayor of Achille is facing an embezzlement charge in connection with a home remodeling business that he operates.

Lynn Allen Chambers, 49, Achille, was charged Wednesday and arrested later that day at Achille City Hall by Choctaw Tribal Police.

He is accused of appropriating $2,900.79 from Landon and Brandi Miller, who are Choctaw employees, that should have been used to purchase materials to remodel the Miller residence, court papers state.

The charge is not related to city business and only involves his personal business.

Sgt. Tony Krebbs, an investigator for the Choctaw Tribal Police, began investigating in January after he received information that a contractor may have been embezzling money that originated from the Choctaw Nation Home Finance Corp.

Krebbs spoke with a Lowe’s employee and was told Chambers presented a $2,642.31 check to the business that was from the Choctaw Nation to Lowe’s. The report stated that Chambers only spent $104.83 of the check and had the remainder turned into four gift cards with a value of $507.50 each, plus $507.48 in cash back.

Krebbs brought this information to Brandi Miller, who became upset and could not believe that Chambers would do that, the affidavit states.

Chambers was interviewed by Krebbs, who asked why he used money to purchase gift cards that should have been for materials.

Chambers, the affidavit states, said he used the check for labor and material expenses and that he was not receiving his labor checks on time.

Krebbs asked about receipts. Chambers first said he did not have any receipts, and then said he gave the Millers some of the receipts and that he lost others while driving down the road, according to the affidavit.

Chambers did not have any receipts to show that he had paid laborers, according to the affidavit.

Brandi Miller later told Krebbs that she noticed extra materials on a receipt from J & D Metal in Colbert. The receipt, according to the affidavit, showed that 19 sheets of green-colored metal had been purchased, and Miller said that her roof was red.

Krebbs then spoke with an employee at J & D Metal who said that Chambers told her that “he had a deal with the Indians that he gets stuff and takes it off of labor.”

Feb. 17, Krebbs spoke with the Choctaw Nation Housing and was informed that there was no such agreement, according to the affidavit, and that Chambers’ labor checks were always paid on time.

Krebbs gave Chambers a “voluntary statement” form to fill out, and Chambers said he would return it when completed, the affidavit states. Krebbs tried to contact Chambers several times and received no response.

Chambers bonded out of jail after his arrest Wednesday. He did not return phone calls that were placed Wednesday after the charge was filed.

No one answered the phone at Achille City Hall when calls were placed Wednesday and this morning.