Sumner County Sheriffs Office

Sebastian Rogers, a 15-year-old with autism and developmental conditions, disappeared from his home in February 2024. His father filed two federal lawsuits against Tennessee's child welfare agency and Sumner County authorities, alleging failures to protect Sebastian despite prior abuse reports. The lawsuits claim the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services closed a 2023 investigation without contacting the father and the sheriff's office mishandled the search for Sebastian, who remains missing with an active Amber Alert and FBI reward.

A Gallatin police officer, Kasim Barnes, was fired after being arrested on six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of solicitation of a minor to commit aggravated statutory rape. The Gallatin Police Department terminated his employment effective June 15, 2026, following his arrest on June 13 by the Sumner County Sheriff's Office.

Dalton Hawkins, a high school band director in Sumner County, is back in custody after a judge raised his bond to $2 million. He faces charges of statutory rape by an authority figure, was previously released on a $600,000 bond, and his case was bound over to a grand jury during a preliminary hearing.