WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A former Wilson County IT director faces charges for official misconduct and theft. After I filed multiple records requests our investigation revealed extensive purchases of high-end gaming equipment and Apple products using taxpayer funds.
Ken Hammonds was indicted in November by the Wilson County Sheriff's Office for official misconduct and theft over $60,000 following a months-long investigation. However, purchase order documents obtained through a public records request suggest the actual amount may exceed $100,000.
I filed a records request for copies of the IT department's purchase orders from Wilson County government months ago. Officials initially denied my request, claiming the documents were part of the investigation. However, in 2019, News Channel 5 won a lawsuit establishing that business documents available publicly before an investigation remain public during an investigation. After several emails and phone conversations with county leaders and investigators, we obtained some of the documents.
Purchase orders from 2020 to 2022 show the IT department spent over $90,000 on high-end Apple equipment and over $50,000 on gaming equipment. The purchases included Dell Alienware gaming laptops costing more than $19,000, graphics cards for $9,500, Video Cards for SFF Computers for $7,000, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Graphics Cards for $5,600, MSI Graphics Cards for $7,000 and Replacement Graphics Cards for $6,600. County taxpayer dollars also funded a Mac Pro Tower for more than $16,000.
Technology expert and programmer Adam Wilczek reviewed the purchase orders and noted the excessive nature of many items.
"These are the machines Apple expects businesses to buy and their price is such," Wilczek said.
Investigators found multiple stolen computers and electronic devices at Hammonds' home. They believe he created a private company through which he billed Wilson County Government for unauthorized services. The type of company remains unknown.
Looking at the purchase orders, the technology expert noted that many items align with equipment needed for an IT company, gaming business, or technology reselling operation.
Wilson County leaders declined to comment as the case continues through the courts. Questions about whether the county possesses this equipment or if it's being used in county government remain unanswered.
Have a government accountability story tip? Reach out at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
