Sentences were handed down against thirteen people in DeKalb County Criminal Court last Friday, February 22. Most of the defendants entered pleas to various drug charges. Others pled to assault, DUI or other offenses.
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. presided.
21 year old Matthew Murphy and 20 year old Holly Ann Cikalo pleaded guilty to attempted initiation of methamphetamine and each received a six year sentence, suspended to time served. Each was fined $2,000. Murphy was given jail credit of 254 days. Murphy and Cikalo were arrested last summer in a meth lab investigation by the Smithville Police Department.
According to Chief Randy Caplinger, police were called to a residence on Woodlawn Street on Thursday, June 14, 2012 where Murphy had reportedly hidden components used to make methamphetamine in the back yard. Officers searched the premises and found muratic acid, drain cleaner, lighter fluid, ice compress, lithium batteries, and claritin D. Murphy, during questioning, admitted to the officers that these items belonged to him and that he intended to use them to make methamphetamine.
Cikalo, who was also at the residence with a young child, allegedly admitted to buying the lighter fluid and cold packs knowing that Murphy was planning to make meth with these items. The Department of Children Services was notified and the child was removed from the home.
Two women charged in an Alexandria meth lab discovery last summer pleaded guilty to their charges. 26 year old Kara L. Funk entered a plea to attempted initiation of methamphetamine. She received a three year sentence to be served. Funk was also fined $2,000. The case is to run concurrently with another sentence she is serving. A co-defendant in the case, 27 year old Jessica Renee Bogle pleaded guilty to promotion of the manufacture of methamphetamine. She received a three year sentence, suspended to 105 days of time served. In the first year of her sentence, Bogle will be in a residential long term drug treatment program. The sentence is to run concurrently with another case against her. Bogle will be on supervised probation and she must pay a $2,000 fine.
According to Alexandria Police Chief Mark Collins, while investigating reported suspicious activity in the area of Shady Lane in June 2012, officers found Funk and Bogle, and another person in the woods along with components used to manufacture methamphetamine. The case against the third person in the case, Christopher B. Pack is apparently still pending in court. The Tennessee Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Task Force responded to the scene to assist with the disposal of the components .
29 year old Brandon Tallent pleaded guilty to sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance and criminal exposure to Hepatitis. He received a three year sentence in the drug case and 11 months and 29 days in the criminal exposure case all suspended to probation. The sentences are to run concurrently. Tallent was fined $2,000. Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger reports that Tallent allegedly sold two pills believed to be dilaudid to an undercover operative on Tuesday, March 13, 2012.
33 year old Kenny Bly pleaded guilty to initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine and received a six year sentence to serve 30% before parole eligibility. He must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment. Bly was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with another case against him for theft of merchandise or shoplifting. He was given jail credit from July 24, 2012 to February 22, 2013.
46 year old Teresa Mayo pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $150.
28 year old Benjamin Caldwell, Jr. pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule II and IV drug for sale. He received a three year sentence in one case and two years in the other but both sentences are to run concurrently as one three year term. The case is also to run concurrently with another sentence against him in Wilson County. He is to serve at least 30% of the sentence before parole eligibility. Caldwell was given jail credit of 183 days
28 year old Roxanna Landis pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and possession of drug paraphernalia. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in the drug paraphernalia case. She will be on supervised probation but must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and follow the recommendations. She was fined $150. Landis received a thirty day suspended sentence for leaving the scene and must make restitution. The sentences are to run concurrent with each other and with her state probation.
44 year old Victor Gingerich pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and possession of a schedule VI drug. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run concurrently with each other. He must serve ten days and pay a fine of $610.
27 year old Clent Shehane pleaded guilty to assault for offensive touching and received a six month sentence, suspended to good behavior probation.
30 year old Joseph Edge pleaded guilty to assault and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, suspended to supervised probation. He is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim. The sentence is to run together with his current probation.
43 year old Robert Roy (Bobby) Atnip, Jr. pleaded guilty to a second offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve seventeen days and then be in rehab for twenty eight days with the balance of the sentence on supervised probation. His drivers license is suspended for two years. He was fined $600 and he must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and follow the recommendations. Atnip must also take part in an alcohol education program.
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