"Law enforcement corruption cannot be tolerated and must be dealt with quickly and professionally"

The sheriff of a southern Tennessee county was arrested Saturday in an FBI sting and charged with extorting money from video gambling operators.

Between April and mid-December, Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long accepted $17,400, which he was told were payments from store owners 'to protect their video poker business and other illegal activity,' according to a federal affidavit.

Long, 55, promised to inform them when he became aware of any investigation focused on their involvement in illegal activities, including selling ingredients used to make methamphetamine, the court record said. Read more