COLUMBIA, TN (WSMV) -
A former Columbia funeral director has pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars given to him as payment for funeral services.
According to the Daily Herald, Carl "Rick" Points was accused of taking $9,900 for funeral arrangements in 2009 while he was employed with Williams Funeral Home in Columbia.
A jury trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday, but the district attorney's office said both prosecutors and defense attorneys worked out an agreement Friday for Points to serve a two-year post-plea diversion period, an option available to people without a criminal record.
Prosecutors said if Points successfully completes probation after that two-year period, he'll be eligible to have his theft conviction expunged from his record.
According the plea agreement, Points must also pay $9,900 in restitution to Williams Funeral Home.
Investigators began their probe into the missing funds in February 2011, according to police, and Points was indicted by a grand jury a few months later.
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