MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A police officer helped steal Crime Stoppers reward money totaling more than $18,000.
That officer pleaded guilty to the crime this summer, but it’s been kept under wraps — that’s until WREG Investigators uncovered federal records.
According to the federal court records, since 2018, Arica Hutchison was one of two officers assigned to sort through Crime Stoppers tips and then give that information to the investigators. That investigator documents the usefulness of that tip in a database, which Hutchison had access to.
Records state from August 2023 through February 2024, Hutchinson “used her position in law enforcement” to “enter fraudulent data” into the Crime Stoppers database, then had a person named “KB” to receive rewards for tips.
Two incidents detailed in the documents state in late 2023, tips for two separate crimes were approved for Crime Stoppers reward money.
But days before that reward payout was scheduled, Hutchison updated the database system.
It’s unclear if she knew that system maintained an audit history listing which user made the modification.
Report calls MATA spending ‘frivolous use of taxpayers funds’ What we do know is that on Jan. 10, Memphis FBI Field Office agents conducted surveillance on the Crime Stoppers payout location and witnessed “KB,” the person Hutchison had been conspiring with, pull up and pick up the reward payment for both of the tips.
Records go on to state that Hutchison and KB fraudulently obtained $18,500 in rewards from Crime Stoppers.
According to the state policing board’s records, Hutchison was placed on leave in February.
She resigned in April, while she was still being internally investigated.
June 3, she was charged in federal court and that same day, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from a program receiving federal funds.
Two weeks ago, she was sentenced to six months in prison plus two years supervised release.
She also has to pay $22,000 in restitution and must follow a list of additional terms, including getting a mental health assessment and counseling, taking a financial literacy class and getting substance abuse and alcohol treatment.
Thursday, officials with the state’s policing board confirmed they have not received any request for her decertification.
The only records they have state Hutchison has been with MPD for 17 years.
WREG Investigators requested Hutchison’s employment records back in September. The city sent an update Tuesday, saying they are “still in the process of retrieving, reviewing and /or redacting the requested records.”
Hutchison is currently serving that six-month sentence.
Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox Crime Stoppers’ executive director told us Thursday afternoon that what the officer did was uncovered thanks to internal safeguards, and she is now “paying for her wrongdoing.”
He added that Crime Stoppers is fine, regarding its financial position.
WREG Investigators reached out to Memphis Police earlier Thursday for a comment but have yet to hear back.
We are also working to find out who KB is and their relationship to Hutchison. Federal documents state they were charged separately for the part they played.
We’ll keep digging on this and let you know what we find out.
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