JONESBORO, Ark. — Former Jonesboro Police Department Cpl. Jeremy Wheelis was terminated on Aug. 5 after an internal investigation concluded he lied about a relationship with a woman he encountered professionally while handling her cases. Officials said the undisclosed relationship raised concerns about its impact on a homicide investigation.
The internal affairs findings, released Friday, detailed thousands of text messages, explicit conversations, and photographs that investigators said contradicted Wheelis' repeated denials of a sexual relationship. The investigation also reviewed allegations of misuse of the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) database, though that accusation was determined to be unfounded.
According to public records provided by JPD Public Information Specialist Sally Smith and additional documents obtained by NEA Report from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety’s Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST), the investigation began in late June. A confidential informant reported concerns about Wheelis’ romantic involvement with a woman arrested for shoplifting, as well as accusations that he improperly handled sensitive law enforcement information.
Investigators accessed the woman’s phone as part of a separate probation search and uncovered 3,097 messages and other communications between her and Wheelis. In a July 22 interview, Wheelis described their interactions as flirtatious but denied a romantic or sexual relationship, according to Capt. Scott Baker's report. However, Baker reviewed explicit exchanges between the two, including messages discussing intimate acts and photos showing Wheelis shirtless alongside the woman.
The investigation also revealed that prosecutors had expressed concerns about Wheelis as a witness in a homicide case to which the woman was connected. Wheelis, who was originally the case’s lead detective, had been removed from the case in January and reassigned from the Criminal Investigations Division to patrol duty.
Two other active cases involving the woman as a victim were also under Wheelis’ oversight, a situation Baker identified as a violation of departmental policy. Despite Wheelis’ denials of a personal relationship, investigators concluded his actions compromised the integrity of both the investigation and his role as an officer.
The investigation also examined other accusations against Wheelis. Investigators confirmed he inquired about the woman and her associates through ACIC, but Baker determined these actions were tied to seeking outstanding warrants and did not constitute impropriety. Separate allegations that Wheelis warned individuals about impending warrants could not be substantiated due to insufficient evidence from the examined phone records.
Wheelis also faced scrutiny for sharing information from a retail theft monitoring group with the woman, leading to another individual being alerted to her being recorded committing theft. Investigators reported that Wheelis acknowledged showing these photos but claimed he was assisting in suspect identification. He further admitted to sending the woman payments through Cash App but denied providing funds to individuals in custody.
After initially agreeing to a polygraph test, Wheelis later declined, citing concerns about the test’s accuracy on the advice of his attorney. Investigators cited this refusal as a failure to cooperate, adding to the sustained finding of dishonesty.
Chief Rick Elliott terminated Wheelis following an Aug. 5 disciplinary meeting. The department cited violations of its code of ethics, code of conduct, and criminal investigations policies. JPD submitted a request to CLEST on Aug. 6 for the decertification of Wheelis as a law enforcement officer. CLEST advanced the case to a hearing following a vote at its October meeting, though the certification remains active pending the outcome.
Wheelis had sought an opinion from the Arkansas Attorney General in an effort to block the public release of the internal investigation records. Despite his effort, JPD provided a redacted version of the file to NEA Report.