MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Tipton County deputy and another man have been indicted in a scheme to buy seized assets through a website used by the government.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office said Daniel Jacobs was a deputy with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office who worked as an evidence custodian and was authorized to post seized items for sale on GovDeals.com.
The comptroller said the investigation began after sheriff’s office investigators noticed a questionable sale on the website. They said on June 10, 2021, Jacobs posted a 2010 Lincoln MKZ on the website at 1:20 a.m., and it was bought for $500 within less than a minute by Jacob Gardner, who the comptroller said was a friend of the deputy.
Investigators said Jacobs admitted to posting the vehicle for sale so Gardner could buy it for Jacobs to use personally.
The sheriff’s office canceled the sale and credited the $500 back to Gardner. The vehicle was eventually resold on the website on Oct. 14, 2021, for more than $2,800.
A Tipton County Grand Jury indicted Daniel Jacobs for one count of official misconduct, one count of attempted theft of property over $2,500, and one count of computer crimes over $2,500. Jacob Gardner was indicted for one count of attempted theft of property over $2,500.
To view the investigative report, go to tncot.cc/doireports.
If you suspect fraud, waste, or abuse of public money in Tennessee, call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at 800.232.5454, or file a report online at: tncot.cc/fraud.
