Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer has been indicted on six federal counts accusing her of stealing more than $44,000 in public funds through county procurement cards, travel advances and electronic payment apps, according to federal prosecutors and court records unsealed Monday.
Sawyer, whose full legal name is listed in court documents as Tamara Sawyer, appeared Monday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee after turning herself in at the federal courthouse in Memphis.
Sawyer is charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, and interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering enterprises.
The indictment, dated June 11, alleges Sawyer used government-issued procurement cards and county travel funds between Aug. 29, 2024, the day she assumed office, and June 22, 2025, to pay for personal expenses for herself and others. Federal prosecutors allege the expenses included alcohol, Uber Eats, Instacart, bars, hotels, restaurants, Memphis Tigers purchases, FedExForum charges, Turo, local fundraisers and PayPal transfers.
Sawyer did not address reporters directly after Monday’s hearing, but stood beside her attorney, John Keith Perry, as he said she denies the allegations and intends to continue serving as clerk while fighting the charges.
“The indictment speaks for itself,” Perry said outside the Odell Horton Federal Building. “We received a copy of it, and we haven’t had a chance to go through everything.
“She is not guilty of these charges,” Perry said.
Perry described Monday’s proceeding as an initial appearance and arraignment.
“We have not had a chance to go through and dissect every aspect of the law on it,” Perry said. “But like I said, she’s not guilty, and we’re going to keep going forward.”
The indictment alleges Sawyer obtained access to procurement cards belonging to three employees in the General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office and used the cards for unauthorized expenses. Prosecutors further allege many of the purchases occurred on weekends or holidays when the clerk’s office was closed.
Federal prosecutors also allege Sawyer submitted false explanations for unauthorized expenses, claimed receipts were missing when they remained available in apps she used, and manipulated receipts submitted for reimbursement to the clerk’s office.
The most serious allegations involve what prosecutors describe as a “money mule” scheme. The indictment defines a money mule as someone who knowingly or unknowingly transfers or moves fraudulently acquired money on behalf of someone else.
According to the indictment, Sawyer used procurement cards to send money to her personal PayPal account. Prosecutors also allege she sent money to a PayPal account belonging to the girlfriend of an unindicted co-conspirator, then gave instructions by iMessage and phone calls for the co-conspirator to keep a small amount of the money and send the rest back to Sawyer through Cash App. The indictment says Sawyer’s Cash App account was linked to her personal bank account.
The indictment also details allegations involving county travel funds. Prosecutors allege Sawyer used a county travel card for personal expenses in October 2024 and failed to pay the balance. The indictment further alleges she received travel advances in January and June 2025 for authorized trips that were later canceled or for which she did not travel and did not return the advance funds.
The federal theft count alleges Sawyer embezzled, stole or knowingly converted approximately $44,607.35 belonging to, or under the care and control of, Shelby County.
If convicted of all charges, Sawyer faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
The indictment says the General Sessions Court Clerk is responsible for maintaining the records and funds of General Sessions Court and providing support to 20 judges and 14 judicial commissioners. It also states that, as clerk, Sawyer was an agent of Shelby County and had a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the county and its citizens.
The indictment also includes a forfeiture notice, meaning federal prosecutors are seeking any property that constitutes or was derived from proceeds of the alleged violations, as well as any property involved in or traceable to the alleged offenses.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
The General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office handles civil and criminal court records, collections and related court functions, making the elected position one of the most visible administrative offices in Shelby County’s judicial system.
Sawyer, a former Shelby County commissioner, activist and 2019 Memphis mayoral candidate, was elected General Sessions Court clerk in 2024. Her tenure has drawn public attention at several points, including a courthouse security controversy last year in which Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s office ultimately declined to pursue charges.
The federal indictment does not appear, based on the available court documents, to be connected to that earlier courthouse incident.
Asked Monday whether politics may be a factor in the federal case, Perry declined to make a direct accusation.
“I’ll let the reader determine that,” he said.
Asked what he would say to Shelby County residents and voters who may have questions, Perry pointed to Sawyer’s public service record and said she intends to remain on the job.
“They’ve had a great deal of confidence in her through the years,” Perry said. “She has enjoyed the privilege of representing individuals from Shelby County, … . She’s done a great job.”
He continued: “So right now, it’s just a matter of trying to go forward and to do the things that she has been elected to do. And she’s going to continue to do her job. And we’re going to defend these charges.”
