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Deport Mayor Faces Felony Theft Charges

The mayor of the Lamar County town of Deport has been accused of using city funds to pay for personal items.

John Mark Francis, 26, was arrested and jailed on Friday, according to a report in The Paris News. Francis was charged with theft of property, between $2,500-$30,000. The charge is a state jail felony. Francis was released on $7,500 bond on Friday.

“The investigation about the theft has been going on for a few weeks,” Lamar County Constable Precinct 1 Travis Rhodes told The Paris News. “After the Grand Jury met Thursday, a warrant was issued.”

Rhodes said he called Francis last week and told him the warrant had been issued. Francis voluntarily turned himself in on Friday. Francis has been accused of purchasing furniture and office items with municipal funds.

Francis claimed the furniture and other office items were delivered to his house because his address “is used as a backup address when no one is at city hall to receive them,” The Paris News reported.