by Nick Beres
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- A Murfreesboro police sergeant is in trouble -- accused of selling counterfeit luxury clothing to other officers while on duty.
"We go out and arrest people for doing that and to have one of our own doing that is very disappointing," said Kyle Evans, spokesperson for the department.
Internal Affairs opened an investigation of Sgt. Amy Dean -- a 21-year veteran of the force -- after learning she helped sell counterfeit items like UGG boots and North Face jackets to others within the department. The labels off one boot taken into evidence were peeling off.
Dean said she only served as a middle man and did not profit from the sales.
Newschannel 5 obtained copies of her taped interrogations.
I.A. -- "Are the boots real? Are they seconds? Or are they counterfeits?"
Dean -- "I don't know."
I.A. -- If they're not real -- and this is a big if -- then you know as well as I do you are getting into a counterfeit situation. If they're not seconds or if they're not legit then these are counterfeit merchandise which is a huge problem."
A dispatcher who bought a pair of the bootleg boots also talked to investigators.
Dispatcher -- "She never even told us if they were fake. Especially dealing with somebody that works with you and that is in the field that we're in I would expect to just either be told if they were fake or told if they were real."
Evans said Dean should have known better. The case was turned over to the district attorney, but he declined to press criminal charges. Dean does face internal discipline. In the wake of the investigation her commander has recommended she be demoted from detective with criminal investigations to patrol.
Dean will challenge that recommendation at a hearing before the police chief next month.
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