Former Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones, Assistant Chief Deputy David Amburn and nine others face conspiracy and theft charges as the result of a joint state and federal investigation into financial malfeasance in the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

TBI said the credit-card purchases included electronics, hunting equipment and construction materials totaling more than $300,000.

The charges involve allegations that current and former members of KCSO’s Narcotics and Special Investigations units used a Narcotics Unit credit card and cash seized during undercover drug operations for personal purchases. 

The credit-card purchases, made between 2010 and 2018, included electronics, hunting equipment and construction materials totaling more than $300,000, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The defendants allegedly used more than $30,oo0 in seized cash for personal expenses.

The TBI said that officers assigned to the Narcotics and Special Investigations units also attended to personal business while on duty, including restoring classic cars, renovating homes and engaging in construction-related activities.

A Knox County grand jury returned indictments on the 11 defendants — five of them on active duty with KCSO — on Wednesday, and the TBI announced the indictments Thursday as the defendants began surrendering to authorities at the Knox County Jail for booking.

Late Wednesday, ahead of the TBI announcement, Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler released a statement to local media about the indictments that reached into his inner circle.

“I was made aware late this afternoon that a grand jury has returned indictments on five current employees of our agency. These indictments appear to be tied to a years-long investigation that predates my election as sheriff in 2018,” he said. “As with any investigation, I want to assure the public that I will cooperate fully with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to ensure a thorough and transparent process.”

Spangler said the current employees have been placed on administrative leave without pay and said he would decline to comment further to avoid interfering with the investigation.

The timing of the indictment is curious — the presentation to the grand jury came just eight days after the Republican primary. 

Both Jones, who left office because of term limits in 2018, and Amburn ran for the Republican nomination for sheriff earlier this month. They lost to Brent Gibson, who retired as a KCSO SWAT team commander in 2024 and will be unopposed in the August general election. Spangler endorsed Amburn.

The TBI probe grew out of an FBI investigation into Narcotics Unit commander David Henderson, who pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to defraud a federal program for a long-running scheme using drug-fund money to benefit himself and others.

Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen recused herself from the case. Executive Director Stephen Crump of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference was appointed District Attorney General Pro Tem and was assisted by prosecutors Brittany Lavalle and Shari Tayloe.

Each of the 11 people indicted faces charges of conspiracy to commit theft of property over $250,000; theft of property over $250,000; and theft of services over $60,000.

In addition to Jones, Amburn and Henderson, those facing charges are:

• Capt. Aaron Yarnell
• Capt. James Hammond
• Lt. Franklin “Rocky” Lowery
• Sgt. Tim Isaacs
• Former Narcotics Unit Det. Curtis Nathan Cole
• Former Sgt. Lake Lowry
• Retired Capt. John Hopkins
• Mike Kidd 

As of Thursday evening, only Jones, Amburn and Henderson had not surrendered. WBIR-TV reported that they were out of town.

The FBI’s investigation of Henderson and his subsequent guilty plea laid the foundation for this week’s indictments.

According to Henderson’s plea agreement, he colluded with unindicted co-conspirators to use seized drug funds and the Narcotics Unit’s credit card to make personal purchases from 2011 to 2018 — the entire time he headed the unit.

To conceal his activity, the agreement states, Henderson enlisted subordinates to actually make the purchases on his behalf. Purchases included approximately $138,000 worth of Apple products, which were distributed to family members, friends, associates and officers who worked on construction and renovation projects at Henderson’s home and residences of his family and friends. Officers performed the “non-KCSO projects” while on duty.

Other purchases included camera and security systems, Yeti coolers, a couple of La-Z-Boy leather executive chairs and more.

In September or October 2017, the agreement states, Henderson directed officers to build a duck blind for then-Sheriff Jones on private property, paid for with money from the drug fund and the Narcotics Unit credit card. They also bought Jones a tactical optic rifle scope, an EOTECH thermal imager and other items for the duck blind.

In his plea agreement, Henderson agreed to help authorities with their investigation, and it appears his assistance helped lead to this week’s indictments.

Henderson faced up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100, forfeiture of ill-gotten property, and restitution. 

Instead of a prison sentence, Henderson, who has been diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder, will likely be sentenced to time served (four months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons) and one year of supervised release, according to a sentencing memorandum in his case file. He also has agreed to pay $20,591 in restitution.

Henderson’s presentencing investigative report is under seal in federal court. On Wednesday, when news broke of the indictments, his sentencing hearing was rescheduled from May 18 to Oct. 19.