Joshua M. Rogers, a 33-year-old Tennessee man, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for aiding a Memphis Police Department officer in covering up a fatal on-duty shooting. The Justice Department announced Rogers' sentence yesterday, highlighting his role in the obstruction of justice following the murder of a man identified only as R.H.
According to court documents linked to his plea, Rogers assisted former officer Patric J. Ferguson in purchasing and utilizing chains, padlocks, and cinderblocks, which they attached to the body of the victim in an attempt to conceal the crime. They then proceeded to the Wolf River in Memphis, discarding the victim's body. As reported by the same Justice Department release, Ferguson, who had kidnapped and fatally shot R.H. on January 5, 2021, was previously handed a 38-year prison sentence on December 1.
The investigation was jointly conducted by the FBI’s Nashville Field Office and the Memphis Police Department. The case fell under the purview of Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Hartridge for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Tenette Smith and Sarah Armstrong from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, joined by U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant and FBI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, announced the sentencing, emphasizing that it demonstrates a firm commitment to holding accountable anyone who undermines justice and law enforcement.
