A federal grand jury has indicted a small-town police officer from Virginia on charges that he defrauded friends and family of over $819K over four years in order to fund an extravagant gambling habit.
On August 21, an indictment was unsealed in Norfolk federal court against Eastville police officer Jerry Keith Brady Jr., 38, of Belle Haven, charging him with 12 counts of wire fraud and two charges of money laundering.
Additionally, prosecutors are requesting that at least $819,250 be forfeited, claiming that this sum is the result of criminal activity.
The indictment lists at least a dozen victims in total, all of whom are only recognized by their initials. According to the government, Brady cultivated credibility with those he ultimately conned by using his job as a police officer.
According to the indictment, Brady told friends and acquaintances on several occasions that he was about to receive a sizable bequest or life insurance payout from a deceased relative.
He allegedly stated that before he could access the money, he needed loans—sometimes tens of thousands of dollars at a time—to pay for legal bills or other expenses.
In a single transaction, he allegedly received almost $80,000 from one victim. Another gave up almost $85,000. Brady signed payback agreements in certain instances, according to the indictment, but little to nothing was ever returned.
"There was never any inheritance or life insurance, nor were there any fees related to such inheritance or life insurance that Brady needed to pay,” prosecutors wrote in the indictment.
Brady allegedly agreed in writing to pay back some lenders, but he typically didn't. According to federal authorities, he used the funds for gaming.
Brady is accused of writing back $18,000 and $13,000 cheques to victims in two of the money laundering allegations. According to the prosecution, these were simply recycled from the borrowed money.
The arrest and charges have raised more questions about Eastville's police force, which was already being criticized for its harsh traffic enforcement.
According to WTKR reporting earlier this year, officers issued an abnormally high number of speeding tickets—up to 400 in the summer and 200–250 in the winter—for a community with only 200 citizens.
Town officials insisted that citations solely targeted drivers going above 70 mph in a 55 mph zone, denying that it was "policing for profit."
Brady was arrested on August 25, 2025, and put on administrative leave, according to Eastville officials. They emphasized that the case had nothing to do with his police work or other staff members and was "a personal matter."
Brady's court date is set for September 3, 2025. In addition to potential restitution and asset forfeiture, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 10 years for each count of money laundering if found guilty.
