Former Cheatham County Deputy Faces Rape, Assault, and Vandalism Charges

A former deputy with the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office has been indicted and taken into custody following an investigation led by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

At the request of 23rd Judicial District Attorney General Ray Crouch, TBI agents launched an investigation on October 2, into allegations involving Jeffrey Key (DOB 7/26/1979). The investigation centered on allagations that Key sexually assaulted a woman. During the investigation, authorities also discovered that Key had crashed a vehicle into a mailbox on the same evening the alleged assault occurred. At the time of the incident, Key was off duty.

On May 6, 2025, the Cheatham County Grand Jury issued an indictment charging Key with Rape, Assault, and two counts of Vandalism. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Cheatham County Jail with bond set at $80,000. Key is no longer employed by the county's sheriff’s office.

It’s important to note that these charges are formal accusations. The legal process presumes the defendant innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.