Southaven Mayor Greg Davis was indicted Tuesday, Dec. 18, on three counts of fraud by a DeSoto County grand jury.

Davis is specifically charged with using his office to lease a car in the name of Southaven city government in February 2009, putting gas in his personal car from February 2009 to January 2010 and writing a $1,000 check in March 2011 to pay his personal debts.

The criminal charges come as a result of an investigation of Southaven city finances by the Mississippi state auditor’s office.

The investigation prompted an order earlier this year for Davis to repay more than $170,000 to the city that the auditor’s office concluded was improperly spent by Davis.

Davis has denied any wrongdoing and has disputed the exact amount he should have to repay the city. He has also said all of his expenditures were approved by the town’s board of aldermen.