JPD Fired Wheelis for Dishonesty After Relationship Investigation, Records Show

JONESBORO, Ark. — Former Jonesboro police Cpl. Jeremy Wheelis was fired Aug. 5 for dishonesty about a relationship with a woman whose cases he handled, while a separate accusation of criminal information database misuse was found unfounded, according to records released Friday to NEA Report.

The internal affairs file describes thousands of messages, explicit conversations and photographs investigators said contradicted Wheelis’ repeated denials of a sexual relationship. It also documents concerns that the undisclosed relationship jeopardized a homicide investigation.

The department sustained a dishonesty finding. Investigators found the criminal information database misuse allegation unfounded and did not establish that Wheelis warned anyone about an upcoming search warrant.

JPD Public Information Specialist Sally Smith provided the redacted file Friday afternoon, Oct. 23. NEA Report separately obtained JPD’s decertification referral records from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety’s Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training, known as CLEST.

Messages and Photographs Contradicted Denials

The investigation began after a confidential informant met with Capt. Scott Baker and Lt. Morshaydrick Racy on June 29. The allegations included a romantic relationship with a woman involved in shoplifting, checking criminal information at her request and sharing departmental information.

After the woman’s arrest, investigators obtained information from her phone through a probation search waiver. Baker found 3,097 messages between her and Wheelis, along with seven voicemails he left.

In a July 22 interview, Wheelis described her as an informant and said their interaction briefly became flirtatious before he backed away. He denied a romantic or sexual relationship.

Baker’s review documented explicit exchanges discussing sexual acts, past encounters and spending the night together. Most of the graphic exchanges occurred between Nov. 23, 2025, and the first week of December. Other conversations continued through June 28, 2026.

Baker also described photographs sent from Wheelis’ phone that appeared to show the woman in bed and Wheelis lying shirtless on her.

During a July 28 interview, Wheelis initially said he did not know whether he took the photographs. He later recalled taking one and said he must have taken the photograph showing him lying on her, according to Baker’s account. He continued to deny sexual contact.

“I don’t care what you read or what I said or wrote, I didn’t have sex with her,” Baker’s report quotes Wheelis as saying.

Baker concluded the communications showed, at minimum, a romantic phone relationship and most probably a physical sexual relationship.

Earlier Concerns Led to Reassignment

Concerns about the relationship had surfaced in January 2026, according to Baker. Wheelis was then the lead detective in a homicide investigation connected to the woman. He was removed from that case and ultimately reassigned from the criminal investigation division to patrol.

Wheelis also handled two active cases in which the woman was a victim, Baker wrote, identifying the relationship as a violation of criminal investigations policy 523.06. Wheelis had described their earlier exchanges as a few weeks of flirtatious messages and denied a romantic relationship.

Racy wrote that the undisclosed relationship jeopardized the homicide case and that prosecutors raised concerns about Wheelis’ potential testimony. The released records do not establish that the case was dismissed.

Database Allegation Unfounded; Search-Warrant Tip Not Established

Investigators confirmed Wheelis checked the woman and some associates through the Arkansas Crime Information Center. He said he was trying to get felony warrants served or encourage people to turn themselves in.

After consulting ACIC about permissible warrant checks, Baker concluded there was no apparent improper or illegal use. The final report classified the database misuse allegation as unfounded.

Wheelis strongly denied warning the woman or others before a search warrant. Racy reported that available evidence could neither support nor discredit the allegation because the phone information did not cover the relevant dates.

Baker wrote that he believed Wheelis’ denial. Wheelis said the search was a drug task force warrant he had not known about, rather than one he was handling in the homicide investigation.

“I believed Wheelis when he denied this and this was a DTF warrant that he likely would not have known about,” Baker wrote.

Investigators separately examined information shared from a retail theft GroupMe account used by law enforcement and store loss prevention employees. Wheelis acknowledged showing the woman photographs from the group but said he was trying to identify shoplifting suspects.

Investigators reported that information he showed her resulted in another woman being alerted she had been recorded stealing at Ulta.

Wheelis denied putting money into incarcerated individuals’ accounts but acknowledged sending the woman money through Cash App.

Dishonesty Finding and Termination

Wheelis was placed on paid administrative leave July 13. Investigators sought a polygraph because they believed the messages contradicted his statements. After initially rescheduling, he declined on his attorney’s advice, questioning the examination’s reliability and saying he would not leave his future to its results.

Baker sustained the untruthfulness allegation and cited Wheelis’ refusal to take the polygraph as a failure to cooperate. The internal affairs record lists the criminal allegation as unfounded and dishonesty as sustained.

Chief Rick Elliott fired Wheelis after an Aug. 5 meeting. The disciplinary notice lists sustained violations involving the department’s code of ethics, code of conduct and investigations policy.

JPD submitted its decertification request Aug. 6. CLEST voted during its October meeting to advance the case to a hearing. The vote did not itself revoke Wheelis’ certification.

CLEST’s narrative lists July 13 as his termination date, but JPD’s internal affairs file and signed disciplinary notice establish July 13 as his paid-leave date and Aug. 5 as his termination date.

Before Friday’s release, Wheelis sought an Arkansas attorney general’s opinion in an effort to block disclosure of the internal affairs records. JPD subsequently provided the redacted file to NEA Report.

FULL RECORDS: VTP Packet – Redacted | PS 26-034_Redacted