By Anna Marie Hartman, WMC-TV Memphis, Tenn.
Cars, cash, cocaine and lots of money. According to the feds, it was all generated by the mishandling of evidence in the Memphis Police property room.
Tonight a Memphis attorney is the focus of this ongoing probe. Scott Crawford is the latest to be indicted in connection with a federal investigation of the Memphis Police Department property room. The Memphis attorney didn’t handle evidence, but the indictment alleges he was laundering money for those who were, including Patrick Maxwell.
Maxwell was recently indicted in connection with drug deals that involved cocaine stolen from the property room where he once worked as a civilian. The feds seized this million dollar home in Atlanta from Maxwell as well as and two other homes in Memphis.
The indictment alleges more than 100 thousand dollars in cash from an intermediary was given to Crawford who then deposited it into an AmSouth Bank account. Crawford is accused of then buying cashier’s checks on the account and depositing the cash into a Prudential Securities account controlled by Patrick Maxwell.
It’s an investigation that’s been going on for years and investigators aren’t stopping at the big ticket items. “Things as small as cigarettes, alcohol, clothing, we’re investigating all of that.” said Bill Woerner of he F.B.I. in October of 2003. Scott Crawford may not be the last of more than a dozen people already indicted in this case.
Last month Memphis Police inspector J.D. King was suspended with pay while allegations against him are investigated. King was once assigned to the property room.