06/25/2026
Cargo theft has emerged as one of the most pressing issues facing Memphis’s business and logistics community, and it has commanded serious attention at both the state and federal level. SCSO Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner and Assistant Chief Deputy Chuck Mays attended the Cargo Theft Roundtable Discussion today at the offices of the Greater Memphis Chamber in downtown Memphis.
This roundtable convened dozens of law enforcement and civic officials, business leaders, and logistics stakeholders alongside U.S. Attorney Mike Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee and senior officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Cathy F. Gautreaux, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, spoke on the importance of protecting the country’s cargo and supplies from theft. The mission of the Freight office is to manage National Multimodal Freight Policy and the “Freight Logistics Optimization Works” (FLOW) program. Memphis, as a global hub at the intersection of air, rail, road, and river freight, has both a unique exposure to this threat and a unique ability to lead the response.
Chief Will Johnson, First Vice President, International Association of Chiefs of Police, told the participants that coordination between local, state, national, and international agencies is an upmost importance. Johnson has twenty-eight years of law enforcement experience and serves as the Chief Special Agent and Assistant Vice President of the BNSF Railway Police Department. BNSF Railway is one of the largest railroad companies in North America, operating in 28 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.
D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney, Western District of Tennessee, Department of Justice, emphasized his eagerness and willingness to bring these cases to the federal level, if applicable. Dunavant is currently serving for the second time as the Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and was sworn into office on October 10, 2025.