What started as a domestic disturbance call at a quiet Cordova cul-de-sac ended with a Shelby County corrections deputy in handcuffs and off the job.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, a woman told responding deputies that 23-year-old James Webb, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office corrections deputy, had gone through her phone, spat on her, ripped off her clothes and chased her outside while she was naked. According to the sheriff’s office, the woman said Webb later came back and threatened to kill her, allegedly telling her, “Call police; I’m ready for a shootout.”
Deputies took Webb into custody, and he has since been relieved of duty while the sheriff’s office conducts an internal investigation.
Action News 5 reports that deputies were called to a home on Dalgreen Cove near Walnut Grove in Cordova. The outlet also notes that the victim told investigators about a previous incident involving Webb. According to the same reporting, deputies said they saw no visible injuries on the woman, and Webb told officers he had been under stress and admitted to being physical during the altercation.
Sheriff's Office Response and Policy
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says it typically places employees on administrative leave while criminal allegations are investigated, which officials say they did in Webb’s case when he was relieved of duty pending the outcome.
On its public jail and inmate information pages, the agency highlights a stated zero-tolerance stance for sexual misconduct under the National Prison Rape Elimination Act, setting out expectations for staff behavior and inmate safety. Those policies and related resources are posted on the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website.
Recent Cases Put Department Under Scrutiny
Webb’s arrest lands at a time when the sheriff’s office has already been under a microscope over staff behavior.
In March, two Shelby County deputies were arrested and placed on leave following an alleged assault, according to the Daily Memphian. Then in May, an indictment accused a former SCSO corrections deputy of raping an inmate, a case that further intensified scrutiny of jail personnel, as reported by Action News 5.
What the Charge Means
Webb was booked on a domestic-assault charge. At the time of this report, court dates and bond information were not yet available in public records. The criminal case will move on its own track, separate from any internal disciplinary decisions by the sheriff’s office, which says the incident remains under active investigation.
Investigators are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office as they prepare their findings for prosecutors. This story will be updated as new court documents or official statements are released.
