Two AR Mayors in Legal Trouble

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Two Mayors in Arkansas are facing charges after being accused of helping themselves to the town treasury. Prosecutors are asking for one of them to be removed from office.

This is the town of Jennette, Arkansas. Population is 100.

"Well I wouldn't want to describe it as a town, I would want to describe it as a country area," said John Henry Mathis.

The Mayor, Plez Lucas and his daughter, Margaret Mathis, the Town Treasurer, are each charged with two counts of theft of property. John Henry Mathis is Margaret's cousin.

"What do I think about it? I really don't have a lot of thoughts about it," said Mathis.

The two elected officials are accused of being reimbursed for more than $30,000 worth of travel expenses, prosecutors believe they never accrued.

"I feel the mayor is a good hearted person but if he did the crime he must do the time," said resident Timothy White.

Residents admit half the town is related and mostly made up of the Mathis family.

A truck with a license plate that said 'Mathis' was parked inside Jennette's town hall, which residents say, is rarely open.

"The only thing we know about the money is when the paper says Jennette is broke and we don't have money that's the only thing we know. We go to the hall meetings and they don't show up," said Mathis.

For the last year, FOX13 has repeatedly reported on problems in Jennette, Turrell and Jericho, Arkansas. In December, state police started investigating.

In May, Turrell Mayor Frank Lockhart was charged with 8 counts of nonfeasance. Court documents show he violated state law by depositing taxpayers' money in a Memphis bank, refusing to pay the city council, giving himself a bonus and operating an unauthorized police department.

Lockhart's attorney Rickey Hicks told FOX13 he did violate state law but almost had no choice because he had no cooperation from members of the city council or local banks.

Lockhart will be in court in September. Prosecutors are asking he be removed from office.

Mathis and Lucas will appear in August- three months before they're up for election.

"I know I will try to make my vote count to make a change," said White.

The prosecutor said the Jericho investigation is finished and is currently being evaluated.