KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Knox County Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones is responding to allegations contained in a federal indictment unsealed this week against his former narcotics unit supervisor.
David Henderson, 52, faces a one-count indictment in U.S. District Court in Knoxville alleging conspiracy to commit federal program fraud following a more than two-year FBI investigation.
Henderson oversaw the Knox County Sheriff's Office's narcotics unit from 2011-18 and is alleged to have directed staff to do personal work for him, his family members or to benefit the "former" Knox County sheriff -- Jones.
He's also alleged to have directed subordinates and unnamed conspirators to use drug unit money or a drug expense card to purchase items that benefited himself, family, friends or the "former" Knox County sheriff -- Jones.
Henderson is free on pre-trial release while the United States pursues its case. Defense attorney Robert Kurtz told a federal magistrate on Thursday that his client suffers cognitive impairment for which he's getting treatment at the Pat Summitt Clinic on the University of Tennessee Medical Center campus.
Jones served as Knox County sheriff for about 11 years and in 2018 was term-limited. Tom Spangler sought his seat and won. Now Jones is once again running to be sheriff, and he and Spangler face each other in a May GOP primary for the job.
Jones issued a statement Friday afternoon to WBIR.
It reads:
"Many law-enforcement officers and firefighters obtain income from off-duty work. Any work done for me occurred with me providing the materials, and with payment from me to the individuals who did the work.
"Some of the same officers have done similar personal work for the (current) sheriff's administrative staff, photos of which have been posted on Facebook. The timing of this action -- which does not name me personally -- so close to an election is suspect and disappointing.
"I have trust in the voters of Knox County. Thanks."
The investigation into Henderson's activities -- and presumably alleged but unnamed co-conspirators -- dates to at least spring 2020 when the FBI raided Henderson's Knox County home.
Following that event and Henderson's abrupt retirement from KCSO, word of the investigation fell quiet. That's not surprising because federal investigators typically keep what they're doing close to their vest, rarely acknowledging that anything is in the works.
The indictment unsealed against Henderson focuses primarily on how he allegedly got others in the unit to buy items, from electronics to household products, with drug funds or the unit's drug card. Thousands of dollars were spent in such a manner, the indictment alleges.
But there are numerous instances in which the indictment lays out examples in which the "former Knox County sheriff" benefited.
In general, the charging document states: "It was further part of the conspiracy that Henderson directed one or more subordinate Narcotics Unit officers to use the Narcotics Unit credit card to purchase items for Henderson's personal use; the personal use of Henderson's Narcotics Unit officers and their family members, friends and associates; and for the personal use of the former Knox County sheriff."
Specifically, the indictment states that in September 2017, Henderson used cash from the drug fund to buy an industrial mat, extinguisher and spray paint to outfit "the former Knox County sheriff's personal duck hunting boat," as well as a post-hole digger to build a small privacy fence "at the former Knox County sheriff's personal residence."
In addition, the document states that sometime in September or October 2017 Henderson had several subordinates build a duck blind on property owned "by a former employee of Knox County for the personal benefit of the former Knox County sheriff." A subordinate designed it and others from the Narcotics Unit built it, according to the indictment.
The officers were supposed to be on official duty as they built it. Henderson then directed Sheriff's Office employees to outfit the duck blind using the unit credit card or drug fund cash. Many of the items were purchased at Lowe's at a cost of more than $1,000.
For example, according to the indictment, "In or about December 4 and 6, 2017, Henderson directed a subordinate to use cash from the Narcotics Cash Fund to purchase aluminum duplex sleeves that were used for duck decoys that were to be used as accessories with the duck blind. The subordinate did, in fact, use cash from the Narcotics Cash Fund to purchase aluminum duplex sleeves for $21.31.
"In or around spring of 2018, after the duck blind had been constructed, Henderson directed a subordinate to build a post into the riverbank next to the duck blind to hold duck decoys as they spun in the water. The subordinate built the post into the riverbank to hold the duck decoys."
