Several Middle Tennessee police officers took part in money laundering and transporting cocaine, federal agents announced Tuesday as indictments were issued in Operation Tarnished Shield.
The public corruption investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol over a 3-year period, officials said at a Nashville news conference.
Criminal complaints were filed in Federal Court in Nashville charging the following individuals:
1. Troy Bell Conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 846.
2. Darrell Thomas Jones Conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 846.
3. Steven Bert Williamson Conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 846.
4. Reno Martin Conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 846.
5. Ronald Middlebrook Conspiracy to distribute cocaine in violation
of 21 U.S.C. 846.
6. Jason Blythe Transferring a firearm in violation of 18
U.S.C. 922(a)(5)
7. Gregory Dale Scott Conspiracy to commit money laundering in
violation of 18 U.S.C. 1956(h).
8. Robin Blaskis Conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1956(h).
According to the criminal complaints, in September of 2002, the FBI and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Criminal Investigative Division began an undercover operation "in order to investigate and root out corruption."
To further the investigation, the FBI utilized an undercover agent who posed as a member of a Chicago based drug and money laundering organization. At its inception, the subjects of the undercover investigation were given the opportunity to participate in a scheme to defraud insurance companies. The scheme required that the subjects submit fictitious body shop invoices and police ccident reports to the undercover agent posing as a Chicago based drug trafficker.
During the course of the undercover investigation, fictitious reports were submitted to the undercover agent by law enforcement officials in exchange for money. As the investigation progressed, agents learned that various individuals, including law enforcement officers, were willing to transport drugs and/or drug money.
As the investigation progressed, two Cookeville residents, Ronald Middlebrook and Robin Blaskis, a certified public accountant, laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in what they believed were drug proceeds for an undercover agent posing as a large scale drug trafficker, it was stated.
The complaint alleges that Darnel Thomas Jones and Ronald Middlebrook offered their services in assisting to transport or recruit law enforcement officers to transport thousands of dollars in currency believed to be the proceeds of illegal narcotics. Additionally, Ronald Middlebrook and Robin Blaskis offered to launder thousands of dollars in currency represented to be the proceeds of illegal narcotics trafficking. The complaint also alleges that law enforcement officers Reno Martin, of the Cookeville Police Department and Steven Bert Williamson, then a police officer with the Algood Police Department, were involved in the transportation of purported cocaine on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.
The complaint further alleges that Gregory Dale Scott, claiming to be a deputy with the Putnam County Sheriff's Officer was involved in the transportation of currency purported to be drug proceeds that was subsequently laundered by a co-conspirator.
The complaint alleges that in February of 2004, Darnel Thomas Jones introduced the undercover agent to Ron Middlebrook, the owner of Ron's Body Shop located in Cookeville. Middlebrook invited the undercover agent to participate in the acquisition of a racetrack and told the undercover agent that the race business was ideal for laundering money.
According to the complaint, Middlebrook offered the assistance of his sister, Robin Blaskis, a certified public accountant who, according to Middlebrook, was experienced in laundering money and hiding income.
The complaint alleges that between April and November of 2004, Middlebrook and Blaskis accepted $650,000 in illegal proceeds from what they believed to be a drug trafficking organization and laundered the money through various accounts that they controlled.
Middlebrook and Blaskis provided the undercover agent with checks and wire transfers drawn on accounts from financial institutions that were held by Middlebrook and Blaskis, in an effort to launder what they believed were drug proceeds.
The complaint also alleges that individuals, including law enforcement officers transported purported drugs for what they believed was a drug trafficking organization. In early March of 2004, police officer Reno Martin agreed to transport $250,000 in purported illegal proceeds from Florida to Nashville.
According to the complaint, Martin subsequently transported $250,000 in currency from Florida to Tennessee on March 8, 2004. In April of the same year, Martin agreed to transport drugs for the undercover agent posing as a narcotics trafficker. The complaint also alleges that in July of 2004, Martin transported 30 kilograms of purported cocaine from Nashville to Chicago for $15,000.
In November of 2004, Darrell Thomas Jones transported 5 kilograms of purported cocaine from Knoxville to Lebanon, Tn. Jones was paid 1,500 for transporting the purported drugs. In June of 2005, police officer Steve Williamson and a second individual identified as Troy Bell transported 20 kilograms of purported cocaine from Nashville to Chicago. In November of 2004, Greg Scott, holding himself out as a deputy jailor with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office transported $50,000 in purported illegal proceeds from Nashville to Cookeville.
Jason Blythe, a police officer with the Cookeville Police Department, was charged with illegally transferring a firearm to the undercover agent in violation of federal law.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Rivera and Jimmie Lynn Ramsaur.
Jim Vines, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, My Harrison, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation,
and Fred Phillips, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Public Safety made the announcement.