MT. JULIET, Tenn. – A former officer with the Mt. Juliet Police Department has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges.
Jason Ezell, age 40, entered his guilty plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Kevin Sharp Thursday.
The Lebanon man was decommissioned and placed on leave without pay in April after discrepancies were found on his timecards.
U.S. Attorney David Rivera said Ezell, a 17-year police veteran, was paid more than $13,000 for overtime that he did not work.
Ezell was charged with federal program fraud and wire fraud. He was a sergeant with the Mt. Juliet Police Department at the time, and supervised the Crime Suppression Unit.
As part of the plea deal reached with prosecutors, Ezell will likely serve behind bars for 8 to 14 months. He will also have to pay back the overpaid salary.
Sentencing has been scheduled for November 9.
Investigators from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice aided in the case.
