Major in Rutherford County Sheriff's Department Charged with Falsifying Citizenship Documents

NASHVILLE, TN — Another indictment hit the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Thursday.

Robert McBurney, a major in the department, is charged with procurement of naturalization, making false statements under oath in matters relating to his application for U.S. citizenship and naturalization status, and wire fraud.

McBurney, a relative by marriage of the now-suspended sheriff Robert Arnold, was implicated in a state comptroller's audit of the sheriff's office released Tuesday. Investigators allege that he claimed to be a U.S. citizen on his application with the county and twice checked "yes" on federal forms asking if he was a citizen.

McBurney, who was born in Ireland, requested naturalization in 2015, but was not naturalized until February 2016, after he had submitted those forms.

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