Two Newport police captains, a city alderwoman and a fourth person have been indicted on misconduct charges based on a long-running state investigation.
Officer James Holt is scheduled to appear in a Greeneville courtroom today, the day after he was charged with buying and selling stolen goods. Holt is also accused of selling prescription drugs. Some of the transactions occurred in school zones, and some happened while Holt was on duty, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Fellow officer Roger L. Shults was also indicted in connection with the operation, though TBI officials said Shults was less deeply involved in the scheme than Holt. Holt's wife Kathy, a Newport city alderwoman, was also named in the indictment. She was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, and three counts of money laundering. Holt's son, Kenneth Myers, was also indicted.
State investigators say some of the stolen items Holt sold were distributed through a Newport convenience store operated by Kathy Holt. The drugs he allegedly sold include hydrocodone and Xanax. TBI said other law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation, including the U.S. Attorney's Office, the state highway patrol, the Department of Revenue and the comptroller's office. That probe is still in progress.