His job is not one many would want. Criminals. Data. Technology. Financial records from near and far. Computer tracking. Fraud and embezzlement … at times, done by family members. Trusted business associates attack the company that pays them. Follow the money, solve the crime.
And at times, it may be a case that appears cut-and-dry that lands on the desk of Knox County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Detective Tim Belcher, a 28-year law enforcement professional.
Belcher, 54, is now investigating a case that began on Sunday, October 5, 2025, when KCSO Patrol Deputy Timothy Jordan pulled over a black SUV on northbound Clinton Highway around 1:45 p.m. Jordan detected the smell of marijuana as he approached the car with four individuals inside. The vehicle belonged to the man in the front passenger seat, Dontray Ligon, and he gave Jordan and deputies permission to search his car. They found two lunchboxes, each containing suspected stolen check-related mail.
Tim Belcher
Ligon, 28, an employee of the U.S. Postal Service at the facility on Weisgarber Road, was arrested without incident. Belcher says he believes the mail was stolen from the mail sorting center, where Ligon worked. Ligon, jailed at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Center, has been charged with a Class A felony for alleged theft of $250,000 or more and a Class A felony for alleged mail theft of $250,000 or more. Belcher is working with U.S. Postal Inspector Rob Firkin. Ligon may face additional federal charges, Belcher said. He is being held on a $170,000 bail.
Belcher’s investigation has traced the stolen checks to approximately 100 victims. Together, the checks add up to $972,051.63. A search of Ligon’s apartment turned up more checks, he added.
In the scope of things, this investigation is in its infancy. Crimes like this have happened at other post offices, he says. Was this isolated to this suspect, or is he part of a larger criminal enterprise? Were additional post office employees involved? Is this the first time he has allegedly stolen from the post office? All questions Belcher is working to uncover.
It is one of many cases he’s investigating. His cases run the gamut from identity theft, embezzlement, and check fraud, forgery, land fraud, cryptocurrency, lottery crimes, romance scams, bail bond scams, contractor fraud, business fraud, and elder abuse when family members and others scam the elderly, a crime he sees more than he wants to see. “The people going after the old folks are very smart and convincing, and we’ve seen them losing their life savings,” he said. “The Internet is not a safe place for our older and vulnerable adults. That’s a major part of them being scammed.”
His work is tedious, and most cases take time to work. Patience is a must. That said, he loves and enjoys solving these crimes. “I have learned not to get caught down in rabbit holes, to find things that could be proven and work from there. You can usually find a paper trail of some sort. It just takes a lot of digging,” Belcher says. “Once I figured that out, it comes down to using all your resources to assist your investigation.”
And he wants to remind the public about this: “Anyone, anyone who believes they may be a victim or who has information related to this post office case or other forms of financial fraud is urged to contact the KCSO Property Crimes detectives at 865-215-2243 or submit a tip to crimetips@knoxsheriff.org – and the tipsters always remain anonymous.”
Belcher, a native of North Carolina, was reared by a U.S. Marine father and a mother who worked in law enforcement in Newport, N.C. He’s a 1989 graduate of West Carteret High School and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree from the now-closed ITT Technical Institute in Knoxville and a master’s in public administration from Strayer University.
Belcher and his wife have three daughters, and when he takes his nose out of the cases, you can find him at a softball field watching the girls play. His other love is cooking venison from his deer hunting and making his specialty – Belcher deer jerky. “It’s really, really tasty,” he says.
He moved to Knoxville in 1998, joined the KCSO and worked in the jail for three years. He worked a short time for the Knoxville Police Dept. (KPD) before leaving to care for his mother. He returned in 2007 and rejoined the KCSO for a second time – this time for good.
His KCSO resume is impressive. He worked patrol, of course, and was recognized for his work in making DUI arrests, eventually becoming a Certified DUI Enforcement Instructor and conducting training at the KCSO and KPD police academies. He also earned certifications in Radar and Crash Reconstruction and was on the dive team for a while.
Belcher was promoted to sergeant in the Traffic Unit in 2016 and, in 2022, joined the Investigations Division, investigating property crimes, fraud, and forgery, and remains an integral part of the unit.
“The wins can be small, and at times the work is aggravating and frustrating. The wins come when you arrest these criminals and when you see the looks on their faces in court when they are convicted and realize that they made some really bad decisions and are going to prison,” Belcher said.
His boss, KCSO Chief of Detectives David Amburn, offers high praise for this veteran professional. “As a fraud detective, Tim Belcher brings an exceptional level of precision, patience, and determination to every case. His ability to uncover the smallest details and pursue the truth with integrity makes him an invaluable asset to our division.”
Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California, and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.
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