McMINN COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A former correctional officer with the McMinn County Sheriff’s Office has been indicted following an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
TBI agents began investigating in December 2024 at the request of 10th Judicial District Attorney General Stephen Hatchett. The investigation centered on allegations that contraband was introduced into the McMinn County Jail in June 2024.
Investigators identified Harley McCormick, formerly employed as a correctional officer, as a suspect in the case. Authorities say McCormick had already been terminated from his position prior to the start of the TBI investigation.
A McMinn County Grand Jury recently returned an indictment charging McCormick with one count of official misconduct. On June 23, 2026, McCormick turned himself in to the McMinn County Jail and was released on his own recognizance bond.
Officials stress that the charge is an accusation, and McCormick is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
