Former Sumner County sheriff jailed for fraud

J.D. Vandercook was sheriff at the time he was indicted last year on eight charges of fraud and money laundering. The indictment claimed Vandercook and his brother, Jerry Vandercook, tried to defraud the county of $48,000 in a scheme to build a maintenance garage for the sheriff’s department.

The indictment said the Vandercooks concealed the fact that the sheriff’s brother was the contractor for the project and used a telephone company account to hide their transactions.

J.D. Vandercook pleaded guilty in February to one charge of wire fraud in exchange for the dismissal of several other charges and a lesser sentence.

Vandercook, 70, and his family wept as he told U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell on Monday he was “not making excuses” for his actions.

“I apologize to you, your honor, my citizens and most of all my loving family,” he said before the sentence was handed down.

Vandercook also was sentenced to two years of probation and will not be allowed to be employed in a government leadership position.

Vandercook, sheriff since 1994, didn’t seek re-election and left office last fall.

His brother’s case is still pending.