Federal agents begin round up of indicted officers
The nature of the charges have not been revealed, but they are believed to be related to six grand jury indictments handed up over the past few weeks, officials told The Commercial Appeal.
By 10 p.m. Saturday, at least two Memphis officers and one sheriffs deputy had been arrested and taken to the federal detention facility in Mason.
The sheriffs deputy, a detective, was arrested about 3 p.m. at the Criminal Justice Center downtown when he returned from an investigation, officials said.
A press conference concerning the charges was scheduled for Monday.
Authorities said the arrests do not appear to be related to the charges against former Memphis police officer David Tate.
He was sentenced to 14 years in prison last month after pleading guilty to tipping off topless club owners about upcoming police raids, and of extorting money from an FBI informant to provide protection for prostitutes and drug couriers crossing from Memphis to casinos in Tunica County, Miss.
The prostitutes and drug carriers were actually undercover FBI agents.
Both Memphis police and the Sheriffs Department have been hit with corruption charges involving officers and drugs in the past couple of years.
In December 2002, Memphis officer Alandas McGraw was ordered to serve four years and six months by a federal judge after his conviction for stealing more than $135,000 from suspected drug dealers.
Earlier this month in Putnam County, federal officials arrested eight people — including four current or former law enforcement officers — on drug and money laundering charges after a three-year undercover sting operation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said undercover agents had posed as members of a Chicago-based drug ring in an operation code-named “Tarnished Shield.”
The operation started by offering the subjects a chance to defraud insurance companies by submitting fictitious body shop invoices, officials said. But as the investigation continued, agents learned some law enforcement officers in Putnam County were willing to transport drugs and drug money.