KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A former Knox County Sheriff’s Office employee admitted that he and fellow officers used KCSO and federal funds to buy themselves $138,000 worth of Apple products for personal use. He also admitted to having on-duty officers work on his home.
Ex-Knox County Narcotics Chief David Henderson signed a plea agreement, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud. In the plea agreement, Henderson admitted to conspiring with others to “steal federal program funds” for personal use between 2011 and 2018. This included having other officers use the Narcotics Unit’s credit card and funds that KCSO had seized from criminals to buy him items for personal use.
For example, according to the plea deal, Henderson told a subordinate officer to buy Apple products and give them to his friends and family. In total, the conspirators bought about $138,000 of Apple products at Henderson’s directions, the plea deal showed.
Henderson also told subordinate officers to do construction work on his home and family members’ homes while on duty and rewarded them with Apple products for doing so, according to the plea deal, which Henderson signed. This included building a screened-in porch and renovating the garage. In some cases, he also told officers to buy some construction supplies with KCSO money.
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In addition to the Apple products, the conspirators also bought security cameras, herbicide, Yeti coolers, La-Z-Boy chairs and many other items for themselves and their families…