An indictment was unsealed today, charging former Nashville Metropolitan Police Department (MNPD) Sergeant James Dunaway with two counts of theft from federal program funds and two counts of money laundering.
Dunaway, 43, of Old Hickory, Tennessee, surrendered to U.S. Marshals after being indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday.
According to the indictment, during the period of November 18, 2015 through November 16, 2017, Dunaway was a supervisor in the MNPD Specialized Investigation Division-Narcotics Unit and was responsible, among other things, for monitoring and executing search warrants.
The indictment alleges that during the execution of search warrants on five separate occasions, Dunaway stole a portion of the cash discovered and seized at each location, including:
the November 18, 2015 search of a residence off Pleasant Hill Road in Nashville, where more than $100,000 was seized;
the April 10, 2017 search of a residence off Robertson Road in Nashville, where more than $500,000 was seized;
the April 26, 2017 search of a residence off Pleasant Hill Road in Nashville, where more than $182,000 was seized;
the September 13, 2017 search of a residence off Spencer Enclave Way in Nashville, where more than $70,000 was seized; and
the November 15, 2017 search of a hotel room in which the MNPD Office of Professional Accountability had placed marijuana, $28,000 cash and video cameras for the purpose of conducting an integrity check. Video cameras captured Dunaway placing money in his pockets during the search and the indictment alleges that Dunaway stole $5,860.00 during the execution of this search warrant.
The indictment also alleges that between April 11, 2017 and May 8, 2017, Dunaway made approximately $40,540.00 in cash deposits and on May 1, 2017, he obtained a cashier’s check with $42,500.00 cash, which he stole during the searches. Dunaway then used the cashier’s check to purchase a 2014 Toyota Sequoia.
The indictment further alleges that during the course of this scheme, Dunaway embezzled, stole and converted approximately $105,910.00 to his own use.
If convicted, Dunaway faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
