Former Memphis Police Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy and Bribery

MEMPHIS—Timothy Green, 45, of Memphis, a former lieutenant with the Memphis Police Department, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison on felony conspiracy and bribery charges, announced Edward L. Stanton, III, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee; and Aaron T. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Memphis Division. Green had been charged with conspiring with two other officers to accept thousands of dollars in payments from representatives of a local night club for performing or failing to perform official duties as members of the Memphis Police Department.

According to information provided to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Coleman, Green admitted that beginning in January 2010, he would collect cash payments from representatives of a local Memphis nightclub on behalf of himself and two other Memphis police officers, Christopher Crawford and Michael Young. In return for the payments, Green, Crawford, and Young would give warnings to the nightclub when undercover officers from the Memphis Police Department planned to conduct investigations on the premises.

“Our law enforcement officers take an oath to enforce the law and uphold the public trust,” said United States Attorney Edward L. Stanton, III. “The district court judge’s sentence today should send a clear and unambiguous message that the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously bring to justice those bad seeds that hide behind a badge and gun while committing criminal acts.”

“Today’s sentencing should stand as a reminder that law enforcement officers who have forgotten or chosen to ignore their oaths to enforce the law will be held accountable to those same laws they once swore to uphold,” said Aaron T. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Public corruption is one of the FBI’s highest priorities and we join the vast number of law enforcement who have not forgotten what it means to ‘protect and serve’ by continuing to enforce the law and uphold the public trust.”

This case was investigated by the Tarnished Badge Task Force, which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the Memphis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian K. Coleman and Steve Parker.