Nancy Stephens

The Fairview Observer

The City of Fairview police chief and assistant chief were placed on administrative leave Friday afternoon, following the arrest of one of the department’s detectives on Monday.

Chief Terry Harris, a 30-year employee, and Assistant chief Mark Sutton, a 14-year employee, have been placed on administrative leave, pending an internal investigation launched by City manager Wayne Hall.

The City of Fairview Police Department also has one less detective on the job this week – after he was arrested in a prostitution sting in Davidson County last Monday night.

Only a few hours after Ronnie Williams ended his first day as a detective with the Fairview Police Department, he was met by a group of Metro Nashville undercover police officers, conducting an undercover investigation into prostitution at a motel in Davidson County. "The detectives were actually inside a room, citing a woman for prostitution, when she received a message on her phone in response to an Internet ad," said Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron.

"A short time thereafter, a john came to her motel room and knocked on her door, and the undercover officer opened it; and it was Mr. Williams who was alleged to have come there to have sex in exchange for $120." Aaron said Williams had $120 cash in his front pocket and that while Williams was retrieving his identification, the officers observed what appeared to be a Fairview Police identification card.

Williams was part of a similar prostitution sting conducted by the Fairview Police Department in December 2015, utilizing an informant who advertised her services on the Internet. At that time, Williams was working as a Fairview auxiliary officer on the scene to assist with the arrests.

On Monday, Williams received a misdemeanor citation. The woman, Benita Davenport, 23, of Raleigh, N.C., also received a citation of prostitution, not for the incident with Williams, Aaron said, but for an incident prior to which police were responding when Williams sent Davenport a text message.

Both Williams and Davenport will be booked on March 1. No police mugshots are available since the two have not been booked.

Williams previously served as Millersville's police chief in Robertson County from 2005 until he resigned that position in June 2014. His Linkedin page on the Internet states he works as a manager for Apex Security Group, who covers stadium and arena events such as the Tennessee Titans’ games since January 2000.

In the aftermath of the arrest, questions have been raised about whether Williams may have provided the chief and assistant chief side jobs with APEX in order to secure his detective position in the department.

The city released a statement Friday, "We are aware of the situation and are currently conducting an ongoing investigation. When that investigation is complete, we will respond to any and all questions relative to the situation and the investigation."