Officers deny extorting contractor accused of sexually assaulting women for years

A federal lawsuit claims police officers took thousands of dollars from a businessman in their Tennessee city in exchange for obstructing efforts to investigate allegations that he was sexually assaulting multiple women for years. The police department has denied any wrongdoing.

The extortion claim involving several Johnson City police officers appears in court filings from a federal lawsuit accusing building contractor Sean Williams - who is now in custody on state and federal criminal charges - of drugging and raping women in the East Tennessee community from 2018 to 2021 while police did little to investigate him.

There was "either an implied or explicit agreement" that the officers would shield Williams, "permitting him to continue his criminal activities of abuse and trafficking with impunity," say lawyers for nine women, listed as Jane Does 1-9, who are suing the city.