NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A former Nashville police officer has been sentenced to probation on a charge of felony official misconduct after law enforcement officials say he allegedly participated in an adult video while on duty.
According to court documents filed Thursday, Sean Herman entered a "best interest" plea in Nashville criminal court for one count. A second count was dismissed.
Herman, 35, faces one year of supervised probation. The best interest plea means that a defendant pleads guilty while maintaining factual innocence of the crime.
Additionally, he was granted judicial diversion, which means that certain eligible defendants who successfully finish probation under the judge's conditions will have their cases dismissed. They can also then request that charges be expunged from their record.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Herman was fired in May 2024 after detectives with the Specialized Investigations Divisions discovered the video and identified him while wearing his MNPD uniform. He was arrested and charged with the two counts that June.
Officials say Herman can be seen taking part in a mock traffic stop in the video that was posted on OnlyFans, a site where fans pay creators for their photos and videos. The skit allegedly included Herman groping the female driver.
An MNPD press release says that the video was made April 26, 2024, in a warehouse parking lot while Herman was on duty as a patrol officer.
In August 2024, a state board indefinitely suspended Herman of his certification to be a law enforcement officer in Tennessee, with the understanding that he could argue to be reinstated once the criminal case is closed.
Phone and email messages left with an attorney listed for Herman were not immediately returned Friday.
FILE - The OnlyFans logo is displayed on a computer monitor in this posed photo, Dec. 7, 2023, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/
Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.
Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.
“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”
Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.
About Kuleana Rum Works
Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.
https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/
