Image Credit: Shelby County TN Government & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer turned herself in at the federal courthouse in Memphis on Monday after she was indicted on charges related to wire fraud and money laundering.
Sawyer faces six federal charges including two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, one count of theft of federal funds, and one count of interstate racketeering. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on her own recognizance, though she must surrender her passport and receive approval before opening any lines of credit or else be taken back into custody.
Prosecutors allege that Sawyer embezzled $44,607.35 in public funds for her personal use from the time she was sworn in on August 29, 2024, until June 22, 2025.
According to the indictment, she used procurement cards issued to other county employees, a county travel card, and travel advances to pay for a “wide range of personal expenses for herself and others” including alcohol, foods and goods from delivery services like Uber Eats and Instacart, charges at hotels, bars, restaurants, the Memphis Tigers, FedEx Forum, local fundraisers, and payments to various PayPal accounts, including her own.
“Many of these transactions occurred on weekends or holidays when the clerk’s office was closed. Although Sawyer claimed the expenses were for official business, the investigation determined they were personal in nature,” read a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
The indictment further alleges that Sawyer also used the procurement cards as part of a money-laundering scheme by transferring stolen funds to a PayPal account controlled by a friend, who kept a small portion and returned the remainder to Sawyer through CashApp.
“Public servants are entrusted by all of us to act in the best interests of the public they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “As alleged, the defendant brazenly abused her authority as a General Sessions Court Clerk to steal taxpayer dollars to serve herself. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to combat public corruption and aggressively pursue those who betray public trust.”
If convicted of all charges, the maximum possible punishment Sawyer will face is up to 20 years in prison, and/or a fine of up to $500,000, and a 3-year term of supervised release, though there is no parole in the federal system.
But in the meantime, Sawyer’s attorney confirmed she will continue to work in her elected position.
“They’ve had a great deal of confidence in her through the years; she has enjoyed the privilege of representing individuals from Shelby County, as well as legislature, when she was a legislator. She’s done a great job, so right now it’s just a matter of going forward and to do the things that she’s been elected to do,” he said.
In response, the Shelby County Democratic Party called the indictment a “serious moment” for local politics and said the “gravity of the situation is not lost” on local Democrats. Party chair Willie Simon reiterated the Constitution’s guarantee of a right to due process and presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and said the party remains “committed to respecting those fundamental principles while also acknowledging the public’s rightful expectation of accountability.”
Pressing for more immediate action, the Republican Party of Shelby County called for Sawyer’s immediate resignation, with Chair Rachel Wall saying constituents “deserve full confidence in their judicial institutions. Given the seriousness of the reported federal involvement, we believe it is in the best interest of the office and the public for Clerk Sawyer to step down immediately so the office may continue to function without distraction or doubt.”
This is not the first time the party has called for the clerk’s resignation. In October of 2025, Sawyer was caught on video in an altercation with a Sheriff’s deputy as she tried to smuggle a firearm into the Shelby County Courthouse.
When officers stopped her, Sawyer “erupted in a tirade, screaming racial epithets and degrading the officers who were simply enforcing the law and protecting the public by preventing an armed private citizen from entering the courthouse.”
The Republican Party called on Sawyer to immediately resign her position and said her actions were “disqualifying” and “rooted in a history of anti-police rhetoric.” Republican State Senator Brent Taylor also pressed for accountability when the liberal District Attorney refused to pursue any criminal charges against Sawyer for the verbal assault.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
