Oakland Mayor Bonds Out

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - When he left the criminal justice complex in Somerville Tuesday, Oakland Mayor Bill Mullins left with a representative from the company posting his $5,000 bail bond. Earlier in the morning, he had turned himself in on charges of official misconduct and tampering with evidence. In Oakland, people are still learning the details.

"I've never known anything bad about him. I hope its false charges."

"I'm definitely concerned. I would definitely say that for sure."

Mullins was indicted Monday, but was out of town when the grand jury handed up the charges. He told FOX13 by phone after being notified that he had done nothing wrong.

"I'm not guilty of anything according to my attorneys," said Mullins.

The TBI says the mayor and his former police chief, Bob Tinsdale, misused their public offices. After an investigation that began in March and included searches of city hall and Mullins home, the TBI says it uncovered evidence the two were taking payments from the city for transmission repair work. The TBI says Mullins took $2,000 a pop several times for work in 2007 and 2008. The Oakland City Attorney told us when the investigation was still ongoing that if Mullins had taken money for transmission work, he didn't know they were city vehicles. The City Attorney also confirmed Mullins refunded the money in those questionable jobs.

"This town is not missing anything. This town has not been overcharged. This town is 100% accountable. I don't know what's wrong with these people," Mullins said.

But according to the TBI, not only were Mullins and Tinsdale benefitting from work on city cars, they tried covering up what money they were allegedly getting from the city by changing documents.