CHEATHAM COUNTY – A former Cheatham County Sheriff’s deputy is facing serious criminal charges following an investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The arrest comes after allegations surfaced accusing the ex-deputy of rape and other offenses.
At the request of 23rd Judicial District Attorney General Ray Crouch, the TBI launched an investigation on October 2 into claims that 45-year-old Jeffrey Key had sexually assaulted a woman. Authorities confirmed that Key was not on duty at the time of the alleged incident. During the course of their investigation, agents discovered that Key had also crashed a vehicle into a mailbox on the same night the alleged assault took place.
Following a review of the evidence, the Cheatham County Grand Jury returned an indictment on Tuesday charging Key with one count of Rape, one count of Assault, and two counts of Vandalism. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Cheatham County Jail, where he remains held on an $80,000 bond…