LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WKRN) – It rocked the quiet La Vergne community, a wide-ranging sex scandal inside the police department. It resulted in five officers being fired and three suspended after being accused of having sex on duty and throwing “girls gone wild” hot tub parties.

Now, one of those officers is saying he was fired out of retaliation.

“I think it’s about time. What it is, is a lot of people have heard a story and it’s only a quarter of the story,” said former Sgt. Henry ‘Ty’ McGowan.

In his first one-on-one interview, McGowan sat down with News 2 to answer questions about the sex scandal investigation within the La Vergne Police Department.

“So this interview is saying we’re going to fight back. It’s time. It’s time to come out of hiding,” he explained.

McGowan was one of the five officers who were fired after an internal investigation. What seemed like weeks of news surrounding the scandal would leave McGowan left with more questions.

“You can ask any internal affairs investigator; you do not release that information; you do not; you release the information necessary to make your point,” McGowan said, referencing the final investigation report obtained by News 2.

The 20-page report would reveal every little detail, describing how co-workers were having sex with each other, nude text messages were being sent, and at the center of it all was the only female officer listed in the investigation: former police officer Maegan Hall.

The report accused McGowan of being the source of information that initially led to the investigation in the first place. However, he says, “It was not me, was not me.”

News 2: “When did you first find out that there was an investigation going on, or that something was going to be revealed?”

McGowan: “I knew something from former Chief Davis. He actually told me that she had told at the hospital.”

Former Police Chief Chip Davis was fired after being accused of knowing about the sex scandal, but failing to report it.

In the messages McGowan showed News 2 appearing to be from the former chief, Davis allegedly wrote, “It’s out in HR talking about it now.” Followed by, “She told at the hospital” and, “All bets off.”

The “she” referred to in those messages would be Hall, according to McGowan.

However, while we know how this ended, News 2 wanted to know how Hall and McGowan first met.

“That’s a great question, and this story hasn’t been told either,” McGowan said. “I was in charge of the PT test to get qualifications to become a police officer.”

McGowan refers to the physical fitness test everyone must pass to move through the process of becoming a police officer. He said oftentimes, he would help people looking to get through the course and offer his training services. McGowan claims when he first approached Hall, it was to offer help. She initially turned him down, but McGowan claims after she failed the test the first time, she reached back out.

News 2: “At that point when you were training her, did you form a friendship with her?”

McGowan: “Yes, we did form a bond. Everybody, pretty much everybody that I’ve trained in the past, has offered, like, payment. I don’t want payment. Let’s get this done. Let’s get you through the door.”

So how did what seemed to be a simple favor, turn into being listed in a sex scandal investigation?

McGowan: “I’m not sure. That’s a good question. I really don’t have the answer to that, but it did. It did transition to, ‘Hey, look at me, look at me.’ Not interested. Sorry, not interested, but I’ll play along.”

News 2: “Did you ever have sex with former Officer Hall?”

McGowan: “No.”

News 2: “Did you ever receive nudes?”

McGowan: “I’ve received a lot of nudes and a lot of videos, from [Hall].”

News 2: “From [Hall]?”

McGowan: “From [Hall], yes.”

News 2: “Were they solicited?”

McGowan: “Solicited, never. I’ve got photocopies. I still have the phone. If you think it’s tampered with, well here is the phone. I’ve never engaged in a conversation with her initially. I’ve never initiated a conversation with her, ever, ever, not once. This was an unsolicited ‘Hey [inaudible] how do you like this?'”

In the final investigation, the report revealed McGowan handed over his personal phone to the investigator. In it, the investigator wrote, “There was no visual evidence that McGowan ever engaged in those text messages.”

“Why am I fired? Why was my name at the first of that when the story first broke?” McGowan questioned.

The final report would also reveal Hall denied sending any nude images to McGowan or having sex with him. Five days later, however, she claimed she had sex with McGowan twice.

McGowan continues to maintain he never had sex with Hall, and that Hall changed her story are speaking with the former police chief.

“All of a sudden I’m the bad guy,” said McGowan.

A year later, McGowan has now filed a $1 million lawsuit, claiming he was “terminated because of his race, and was fired in retaliation.”

Sexual harassment isn’t the only reason McGowan was fired. On Tuesday, April 16, News 2 will reveal his answers, addressing the allegation that he placed his hands around the neck of a co-worker.

News 2 reached out to the city and asked for an interview or comment regarding McGowan’s allegations; the city told us they cannot comment on pending litigation.

News 2 also contacted Hall’s lawyer for comment and has not received a response.