This story was originally published by the Nashville Banner. Sign up for their newsletter at nashvillebanner.com/newsletters.
Nashville Metro Water Services is taking steps toward possible discipline of John Honeysucker, the department assistant director on leave amid a federal investigation.
A charge letter was issued to Honeysucker on Wednesday by Metro Water human resources manager Juanita Davis.
It states that federal agents seized Honeysucker’s Metro-issued phone on the night of July 21. Rather than informing Metro Water leaders about the seizure, Honeysucker the following morning contacted an IT colleague and said he had “messed up” his phone during flooding at his home, according to the letter. He showed up to Metro Water before 6 a.m. the day after his phone was seized, according to employee access logs obtained by the Banner, but he arrived similarly early on other days.
“The department’s concern is not based upon the service of the federal warrant itself,” the letter continues. “Rather, the concern arises from your conduct following that event. Specifically, you did not inform (department leadership) that your Metro-issued device was seized by the federal government, and you were dishonest … as to why you needed a replacement cell phone.”