Deputy Accused of Buying Playstation with Drug Money

Shelby County, TN - Investigators say Deputy Jeff McCall's career in law enforcement may be over.

"He had a good background, a good record with us. But you never really know what goes on in a person's personal life," said Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell, Friday.

McCall, who moved up to the Shelby County Narcotics Unit in 2006 was called to the area of Mallory and Titus in South Memphis Thursday. What he thought was a routine traffic stop was actually a sting.

"You hope they don't take it. But when they do take it, it's unfortunate," Luttrell said.

Sheriff Luttrell says following tips McCall may be stealing drug money he was confiscating on the streets, the Sheriff's Office and the FBI had a confidential informant pose as a drug dealer.

"Good officers don't tolerate bad officers and we have some good officers in narcotics and they saw some things that to them didn't sit right," he said.

After the phony drug traffic stop, it was McCall's job to inventory the $4200 in cash and marijuana seized. Only investigators say when he turned it in there was only $3800. $400 was missing.

"When he was confronted about it later in the evening he admitted it and gave us what details we have at this point," said Luttrell.

They determined later with the stolen money in hand McCall left work Thursday and went to a "Best Buy" on Germantown Parkway. He told them he used the cash to purchase a Playstation 3. Records show the game was found in his work vehicle and the receipt was found in his desk.

"What happened in his life that made him go from being a good officer he'd always been to stepping off the deep end and doing this, is what we don't know," said Luttrell.

The Sheriff's Office is looking into whether McCall may have stolen on other occasions and the FBI is still actively investigating as well. Right now McCall is only facing state charges however of official misconduct and theft of property under $500.

A teary eyed McCall tells FOX13, the Shelby County sheriff's department has been good to him, he made a mistake.