Knox County Schools twice hired a deputy sheriff under federal probe in a gambling extortion conspiracy despite being made aware of his alleged transgressions, reports the News Sentinel.
Former Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jimmy W. Douglas remained on the job as an educational assistant for the school system right up to the day federal authorities arrested him. Even now, he remains on the public payroll. The school system placed him on paid leave Nov. 6 after a federal indictment against him was made public.
Douglas is one of six East Tennessee lawmen charged earlier this month with using the trappings of their power, including badges and guns, to protect what they believed were illegal high-stakes poker games. The charges came after a 2009 sting operation by the FBI targeting police corruption.
That probe was interrupted, records show, in March 2010 when Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones confronted Deputy Samuel T. Hardy Jr., accused as one of the recruiters in the extortion plot, which alerted Hardy — intentionally or not — the alleged conspiracy had been revealed. Jones has said he was acting on a tip and was never told by the FBI about the sting operation.
After being interrogated, Hardy identified Douglas and fellow Deputy Robbie Flood as players in the poker protection game. Jones allowed all three to resign. He has not explained why.
Soon after Douglas resigned in May 2010, disgraced Knox County Schools Security Chief Steve Griffin hired Douglas — knowing he had resigned from the KCSO as a result of the gambling extortion allegations.