A federal grand jury has indicted a police officer from a tiny town in Virginia for allegedly defrauding friends of over $819K over the course of four years in order to finance an extravagant gambling habit.

Following the unsealing of an indictment in Norfolk federal court on August 21, Eastville police officer Jerry Keith Brady Jr., 38, of Belle Haven, is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.

Additionally, prosecutors are requesting the confiscation of at least $819,250, which they claim is the proceeds of criminal activity.

The indictment names a minimum of twelve victims, all of whom are only identifiable by their initials. According to the government, Brady gained confidence with those he ultimately deceived by using his status as a police officer.

Absent Inheritance

According to the indictment, Brady frequently informed friends and acquaintances 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 additional expenses including legal bills.

He allegedly received over $80,000 from one victim in one transaction. Another gave almost $85,000. According to the indictment, Brady signed restitution agreements in a few instances, 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 signed contracts to pay back certain lenders, but he mostly neglected to do so. According to federal authorities, he used the funds for gaming.

Checks that Brady allegedly wrote back to victims—$18,000 in one instance and $13,000 in another—are the subject of two money laundering accusations. These, according to the prosecution, were simply repurposed from the borrowed money.

Smalltown Disagreement

The Eastville police department, which was already under criticism for its harsh traffic enforcement, is now under more scrutiny as a result of the indictment and arrest.

Officers issued up to 400 speeding fines each month in the summer and 200–250 in the winter, according to WTKR reporting earlier this year. This is abnormally high for a community with only 200 citizens.

Town officials insisted that only drivers over 70 mph in a 55 mph zone were cited, denying that it was "policing for profit."

According to Eastville officials, Brady was arrested on August 25, 2025, and put on administrative leave. They emphasized that the case was "a personal matter" and had nothing to do with his duties as a police officer or other staff members.

Brady's court date is set for September 3, 2025. In addition to potential restitution and asset forfeiture, he may spend up to 20 years in jail for each wire fraud conviction and 10 years for each money laundering count if found guilty.