More attention has been brought to embattled Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold from talks of someone using his name in an extortion and harassment case.
The sheriff was indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges in June.
He was named in a new police report in which it seems someone is trying to extort money out of a few of his former employees to help pay for his legal defense.
People like Dana, a former deputy, who asked that NewsChannel 5 not use his last name. He said he's received several threatening texts.
"You shouldn't have been anti-Arnold. You'll answer for it now,” one message read.
"If you could make a donation to the Sheriff's lawyer fee fund we can act as if this never happened. Otherwise, you might have to be brought in for questioning,” another message read.
“It's just like they want to call me in for questioning. I haven't done nothing. I think it's someone away from the sheriff's department trying to get some money out of the situation,” Dana said.
Dana filed a police report, and detectives looked into how many other people may have been contacted.
Sheriff Arnold's staff told NewsChannel 5 they were unaware of the texts until we contacted them.
They said the phone number listed on the police report did not match any number from phones issued to Sheriff's Office employees.
Investigators, so far, have been unable to trace the number.
