Mayor accused of using campaign money for vacation, porn turns himself in

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mayor facing more than 60 felony charges turned himself into jail Thursday afternoon.

Snellville Mayor Tom Witts is accused of using campaign funds to purchase a Caribbean cruise, airline tickets and a six-month subscription to porn sites.

Last week, he was indicted on 66 counts, including tax evasion and violation of oath by a public officer.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas was the only reporter there as Witts bonded out of jail. He asked him about the charges and how he was feeling.

"I don't really have anything to say," Witts said.

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Witts bonded out of jail with a signature and won't have to pay any of his $20,000 bond unless he fails to show up for any of his future court appearances.

The governor said he'll convene a three-person committee next week; the group could recommend suspending the mayor for up to six months.

Witts took office in 2015 after a heated campaign against then-Mayor Kelly Kautz. Within in a short time, Gwinnett County investigators began looking into suspected irregularities in his campaign spending and work his company did on City Hall.

Gwinnett District Attorney Danny Porter said he's had no contact with Witts or his attorney since the indictment and there are no negotiations underway.

"Statutes require that I send a certified copy of the indictment to the governor, which I'll do tomorrow morning," he said.

The case will likely go before a judge for arraignment in about a month.

City Manager Butch Sanders sent Channel 2 Action News the following statement: “In the three years since our last immersion in the legal system, we as a city and a community have come a long way. We have added to our park system, greatly improved sanitation services, grown public confidence in our police services in the face of difficult nationwide issues and made a great start on building a Towne Center. With the public’s support, we will carry these efforts forward as the mayor addresses his issues and we will keep Tom and Carol in our thoughts and prayers. We have cooperated with the district attorney’s investigation fully and will continue to be governed by the law as directed by our city attorney.”

Cox Media Group