Thomas Kevin “T.K.” Waters, 55, has been serving as the seventh sheriff of Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Christian R. Madsen, 31, an 11-year veteran with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and his superior Jaime Lynne Eason, 49, were reportedly involved in a romantic relationship, a direct violation of the department’s nepotism and conflict-of-interest policies.
The JSO is grappling with a significant internal investigation involving felony charges against one of its own and the subsequent disciplinary action against a high-ranking official. On February 26, 2026, Waters announced the arrest of Madsen, who is accused of orchestrating a massive overtime fraud scheme over a three-month period.
Christian Madsen
From December 1, 2025 to February 7, 2026, Madsen submitted claims for compensation for overtime traffic assignments he allegedly worked. On February 12, 2026, the Integrity Unit of the JSO received information that he intentionally submitted falsified overtime claims and received compensation for traffic enforcement work he did not perform.
Madsen faces three felony counts for allegedly falsifying more than 200 hours of overtime. Investigators claim these fraudulent entries allowed him to collect over $14,000 in unearned pay. Waters remained firm on the department’s stance regarding integrity, stating, “As we have said many times before, no one is above the law.”
The investigation revealed a deeply personal layer to the misconduct. Waters confirmed that during the hours Madsen was allegedly clocking in for work, he was actually visiting Eason’s residence.
On February 25, 2026, Madsen was arrested, making him the second JSO officer arrested by the department itself since the start of 2026. An additional four employees of the department have been arrested by outside agencies this year, bringing the total number of department-affiliated arrests this year to six.
Jaime Eason
The fallout has significantly impacted the career of Eason, who held the distinction of being the department’s first woman chief of patrol. While Waters noted there is currently no evidence that Eason was aware Madsen was clocking hours during their time together, the breach of policy led to a “long conversation” in the Sheriff’s office.
Following this, Eason resigned her appointment as Chief and has been officially demoted. An administrative process remains in place to handle the remaining internal details.
Waters thanked the investigators who brought the fraud to light, vowing to remain transparent with the public whenever an employee threatens the agency’s foundational trust. He emphasized that the department must now “move on and continue with the business of the sheriff’s office.”
CONAN Daily 