A group of local educators, students, and others opposed to Tennessee Common Core standards greeted Governor Bill Haslam with protest signs and chants as he arrived in Smithville Thursday evening to speak at the local Republican Party’s Reagan Day Dinner. The event was held at the county complex auditorium.
The Governor did not acknowledge the protestors as he emerged from his automobile and entered the building where friends and supporters were waiting to welcome him.
Many educators say they are fed up with the pressures put upon them in the classroom and they want the Governor, a supporter of Common Core, to hear their voices. “We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired with the way teachers and kids are being treated in education,” said Bill Conger, President of the DeKalb County Education Association. “We’re over testing and putting too much on the kids. The Common Core and the standards they’re trying to set for us are too high, too fast and they’re putting pressure on teachers making it difficult for them to do their job every day,” said Conger.
“It’s difficult for the teachers to live up to all the mandates,” said Bryan Jones, an eighth grade science teacher. “We just can’t teach school because of all the paperwork. We have so many things going on we have to do to comply with the state. It’s also very difficult for the kids. Common Core is something we need to reject as a county and state,” added Jones.
Lisa Mabe, a third grade teacher at Northside Elementary, said the evaluations and merit pay system are most unfair to teachers. “We teach our hearts out every day. We want our students to do well but we are judged on an evaluation system that isn’t fair. We’re scored one through five and we’re rarely given five’s because we’re not perfect. Yet we do everything that is expected of us. We love our kids and we want them to learn. We only ask that they treat us fairly. The merit pay isn’t fair. They want to give us raises based on our job performance and our test scores but our classes aren’t divided equally. If you want us to have merit pay, you’ve got to base all our classrooms equally and give all teachers a chance to achieve those standards but it’s not set up that way. It never has been. I’ve been teaching for nineteen years and I’ve had more evaluations this year than I had my first year of teaching. You are welcome in our classroom anytime. I want to be accountable. I am accountable but do it fairly,” said Mabe.

The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s Nutrition Program announced today that it will be participating in the national 2014 March for Meals campaign. UCHRA’s Nutrition Program Community Champions week is March 17 – 21, 2014.
“In this tough economy, the food and human contact we provide to seniors in this community is needed more than ever,” said Kelly Dishman, Nutrition Director of the Upper Cumberland Nutrition Program “We need the community to come out and support our March for Meals events. Our clients are counting on us. We can’t let them down.”
March for Meals is a national campaign held during the month of March, initiated and sponsored by the Meals On Wheels Association of America to raise awareness of senior hunger and to encourage action on the part of local communities. Hundreds of Senior Nutrition Programs across the United States, like UCHRA’s Nutrition Program, promote March for Meals through public events, partnerships with local businesses, volunteer recruitment and fundraising initiatives.
“Our Meals On Wheels programs are on the front lines every day in the battle against senior hunger,” said Meals On Wheels Association of American President and CEO Ellie Hollander. “March for Meals is a time when communities can come together to stand with their local Meals On Wheels program and support our mission to end senior hunger in America.”
The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s Nutrition Program served 93,630 Congregate Meals in FY ’13 and 191,349 Home-Delivered Meals. If you are interested in participating in the March for Meal’s campaign by helping to prepare and/or deliver meals to our homebound senior clients during our Community Champions Week March 17 – 21, 2014, please contact your local UCHRA office for more details or check out the website at www.uchra.com.

Two men accused of stealing more than $100,000 worth of copper and brass from Federal Mogul in Smithville last year were sentenced Friday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
Judge David Patterson presided.
56 year old Billy Joe Rigsby pleaded guilty to theft over $60,000 while 29 year old Corey Dickens entered a plea to theft over $10,000. Rigsby received a ten year sentence to serve at least 30% as a range one offender before parole eligibility. He was given jail credit of almost six months from August 13, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Rigsby also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of delivery of a schedule II drug and received a three year sentence in that case to run concurrently with the theft offense. He received a drug fine of $2,000.
Dickens received a five year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Corrections. He was given jail credit of almost six months from August 1, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Dickens and Rigsby are to make restitution jointly and severally to Federal Mogul in the amount of $109,771.
The case against a third defendant, 46 year old Martin Riley, III is still pending.
According to Smithville Police, the thefts occurred multiple times from December 2012 to August 2013 during the middle of the night after the second shift when no one else was at the plant. The intruders went under and over a fence, entered through an unlocked door at the receiving area behind the building, and loaded carts with 50 pound bags of almost pure grain copper, which is used in the manufacture of brake pads at the facility. In some cases, pieces of EDM brass were also stolen.
According to Lieutenant Matt Holmes, the investigation began after police first received a tip and then a formal complaint by an official of Federal Mogul. “We spoke to a representative of Federal Mogul who advised us that they had been suspecting some copper was being stolen. They placed a hidden camera out there. He (Federal Mogul official) provided us with some video. When we watched the video and through investigation, we were able to identify the two subjects on the video as Martin Riley and Billy Joe Rigsby,” he said.
“They way they were doing it was after hours they were entering the building, loading up carts while no one else was there, and wheeling the carts out the back door. They would go during the times they (plant) were closed during the middle of the night and take anywhere from 10 to 25 to 30 bags at a time or however many they could get loaded and feasibly get out of there with. They went under the fence and loaded their truck,” said Lieutenant Holmes.
After committing the thefts, the men allegedly sold the copper and brass at the Southern Central business in McMinnville. “He (Federal Mogul official) initially didn’t know how much copper had been taken but they were working on doing an inventory so we started calling around, trying to locate the copper. We learned the copper had been sold to Southern Central in McMinnville,” he said. “They would take the copper and brass to the scrap yard. In some cases, they transferred the copper from the bags they came in to totes to transport it to the scrap yard,” said Lieutenant Holmes.
The investigation revealed that Rigsby and Dickens were allegedly partners in the crimes from December, 2012 to March, 2013, until Dickens was arrested on a separate charge. Rigsby then allegedly continued with the thefts from the plant and was allegedly joined by Riley, on at least one occasion, through August 4, 2013.
The case was investigated by Chief Randy Caplinger and Lieutenant Holmes.
In other cases, 31 year old Joseph Huff Ray pleaded guilty Friday to theft over $1,000. He received a three year sentence to serve at 30% before his release eligibility date. The term is to run concurrently with another sentence against him. He was given jail credit from June 27, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, June 27 Ray allegedly took a 1988 Ford Ranger pickup valued at $5,000 from a residence on Game Ridge Road. He allegedly wrote a statement admitting to taking the truck. The case was investigated by a criminal detective of the sheriff’s department.
26 year old Molly Lawrence pleaded guilty to two counts of theft over $1,000. She received a four year suspended sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other. She must make restitution of $2,500 to one victim and $2,908 to another. Her payment is $250 per month as a condition of probation.
30 year old Ryan Lee Walden pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated burglary and one count of theft over $1,000. He received a five year sentence for the aggravated burglary, all suspended to supervised probation except for one year to serve. Walden also received a three year sentence in the theft case, all suspended to supervised probation. The two sentences are to run concurrently with each other. Walden must pay restitution of $60 to one victim and $5,649 to the other. He was given jail credit from August 16, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, July 31 the victim, who resides on Allen Ferry Road, reported that sets of Bone China plates, cups, and bowls had gone missing from the home. Walden was found to have sold these items to an auction house in DeKalb County. The value of the stolen items was more than $1,000.
21 year old Terry Jones, III pleaded guilty by information to two counts of burglary. He received a three year sentence in one case and two years in the other. The terms are to run consecutively with each other for a total of five years but concurrently with another case. He was given jail credit from January 25 to February 21, 2014. According to Sheriff Ray, Jones allegedly broke into a residence on Dale Ridge Road on Friday, January 17 and stole several items including a 2003 Red Honda 250 Recon ATV, a Remington Model 870 Shotgun, Insulated Carhartt Jacket, Trail Cameras, a full box of 12 gauge shotgun shells, eight bottles of whiskey, and one Igloo cooler. Six days later, on Thursday January 23, Jones allegedly broke into a garage on Johnson Ridge Road and took a Yamaha Kodiak 400 four wheeler, valued at $4,000. The case was investigated by a deputy of the Sheriff’s Department.
31 year old Jonathan McCormick pleaded guilty to burglary and theft over $1,000. He received a three year sentence in each case. The two sentences are to run concurrently with each other but consecutively with a three year sentence he received after pleading guilty to sale of a schedule II controlled substance. His total sentence is six years but it has all been suspended to supervised probation except for 120 days to serve. He was fined $2,000 and given jail credit from January 15 to February 21, 2014. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, June 8 McCormick allegedly entered an outbuilding on Lee Braswell Road and took from the property a John Deere riding mower and an air compressor. The total estimated value is $6,829. The case was investigated by criminal detectives of the sheriff’s department. McCormick was also among those named in sealed indictments by the Grand Jury last month after a three month undercover drug investigation by the Sheriff’s Department.
25 year old Brandon Wayne Hutchings and 25 year old Jessica Anne Jenkins each pleaded guilty to promotion of meth manufacture and auto burglary. Each received a three year sentence on the meth charge and two years for the auto burglary. The two sentences for Hutchings are to run consecutively with each other for a total of five years. The terms for Jenkins are to run concurrently with each other for total of three years. She has been granted judicial diversion probation. Hutchings was given jail credit from August 7, 2013 to February 21, 2014. Smithville Police Sergeant Bradley Tatrow stopped Jenkins’ vehicle on July 21, 2013 for a traffic violation. Sergeant Tatrow noticed that the driver, Hutchings, had slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet. When Hutchings was asked to empty his pockets, a pill believed to be morphine was discovered. Police asked Jenkins for permission to search her vehicle but she refused. K-9 Officer Cornelius was then called for assistance. Jenkins’ vehicle was searched after K-9 LEO was deployed and alerted on the automobile. Several items were found during the search known to be used in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. On the same day, July 21, 2013 Sheriff Ray said that Hutchings and Jenkins were charged with breaking into and taking a purse from a vehicle parked at Sligo bridge. Entry was gained by breaking out a rear window on the passenger side causing $300 in damage. The purse contained a wallet, pants, tank top, and a belt, all valued at less than $500. Hutchings and Jenkins were arrested some two hours later. Found on Hutchings was the victim’s identification.
35 year old Jenadiah Barnes pleaded guilty to one count of forgery and received a two year sentence to serve. The term is to run concurrently with another TDOC sentence against him. He must make restitution of $980. Barnes was given jail credit from December 2012 to February 21, 2014. Sheriff Ray said that Barnes allegedly passed six forged checks at Prichard’s Foods in Alexandria in the amounts of $135 and $100 on June 22, 2011; $135 and $160 on June 24, 2011; and $225 and $225 on June 29, 2011 The name of the victim was forged on the checks without authorization.

A Chancery Court hearing is scheduled for Friday, February 28 on the DeKalb Utility District’s petition for a temporary injunction to keep the City of Smithville from imposing it’s higher water rate to the DUD pending a final ruling on the utility’s lawsuit against the city.
Chancellor Ronald Thurman will have that hearing Friday, February 28 at 1:00 p.m. in Cookeville. That’s where Chancellor Thurman is holding court that day.
Officials of the DeKalb Utility District are turning to the Chancery Court for relief from what they call an unreasonable water rate imposed on the utility by the City of Smithville.
In the lawsuit, the DUD is asking the Chancellor to find that the city’s new water rate to the utility of $5.00 per thousand gallons, which went into effect January 1st, is unreasonable; that the rate be set at $2.25 per thousand gallons, which the DUD believes is the actual cost of providing water services; that the city be enjoined (prohibited) from charging any rate to the DUD in excess of $2.67 per thousand while this litigation is pending; and that the city be enjoined (prohibited) from disconnecting the DUD from its water system while this lawsuit is pending. The DUD also wants the court to order a speedy hearing on this action for a declaratory judgment and to advance it on the court’s calendar.
In the hearing Friday, the Court is being asked by the DUD to enter a temporary injunction while this litigation is pending. “The rate of $5.00 per thousand gallons charged by the City to the DUD effective January 1, 2014 has caused and will continue to result in immediate and irreparable injury, loss, and damage to the DUD and its customers. The issuance of the temporary injunction will not cause undue inconvenience or loss to the City of Smithville, but will prevent irreparable injury to the DUD,” according to the lawsuit.

A ruling handed down today (Tuesday) by a Davidson County Chancellor may have cleared the way for the DeKalb Utility District to build its own water treatment plant.
Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle has dismissed a petition for a judicial review by DUD ratepayers and the City of Smithville who were seeking to overturn a decision by the Utility Management Review Board, who last April ruled against the petitioners in their quest to halt DUD’s plans for construction of a water plant. In her ruling Tuesday, Chancellor Lyle affirmed the UMRB decision.
(CLICK PDF LINK BELOW TO READ CHANCELLOR LYLE’S RULING)
hppscan343.pdf (6.67 MB)
Specifically, the petitioners (DUD ratepayers/City of Smithville) asked the court to review the following issues:
1. “Did the UMRB err by failing to consider, pursuant to state law, the appropriateness of the DUD expanding its “services provided” to include the construction of a separate, duplicative unnecessary water treatment facility and thereby violate a statute and/or follow an unlawful procedure?”
2. “Did the UMRB err because its ruling is not supported by material evidence in the record?”
3. “Did the UMRB follow an unlawful procedure by failing to let the affected ratepayers in attendance at the contested hearing in Smithville be heard in a public hearing?”
“After considering the record, argument of counsel and the law, the court dismisses the Petition for Judicial Review. The Court determines that the UMRB performed its duty correctly and provided the review required by the statute; the UMRB’s decision is not unsupported by substantial and material evidence; and the UMRB did not engage in unlawful procedure,” wrote Chancellor Lyle.
“Having ruled against the Petitioners on each of the issues presented for judicial review, it is ordered that the Final Order of the Utility Management Review Board is affirmed, and the petition for Judicial Review is dismissed with prejudice with court costs taxed to the petitioners,” concluded Chancellor Lyle.
Last April, the Utility Management Review Board held a hearing in Smithville to review the rates to customers charged by the DeKalb Utility District at that time and rates to be charged associated with the construction of a new water treatment plant. Ratepayers and the City of Smithville, referred to as the petitioners, also wanted the UMRB to block the DUD’s decision to build a water treatment plant. They contended that the City has plentiful availability of water to supply the DUD’s customer base now and into the future. This redundancy, the petitioners asserted, should be halted. DUD officials contend it is in the best interest for DUD to have its own water plant and that the result would be lower rates to DUD customers and millions of dollars in savings to the DUD in the years ahead.
The UMRB, at the April hearing, found DUD’s rates at the time to be reasonable and refused to intervene in DUD’s business decision to build the water plant. By not reviewing “services provided” as well as “rates charged” as requested, the petitioners contend that the UMRB violated statutory provisions and or followed an illegal procedure in arriving at its decision. Attorneys for the UMRB and DUD said the Utility Management Review Board had no authority to stop the water plant project nor to force the DUD into a contractual relationship with the city to continue purchasing water.
The petitioners later filed an appeal to the Davidson County Chancery Court for a judicial review of the UMRB’s decision, hoping to win a reversal. Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle held a hearing last month in Nashville with all the parties involved and said she would issue her decision within thirty days. That ruling came down Tuesday, February 25.
Attorneys for the DUD and the State Attorney General’s Office for the UMRB essentially made the same arguments for the UMRB’s decision to be upheld.
DUD’s attorney Dewey Branstetter, Jr. wrote in his court brief that “The UMRB correctly dismissed the petition created through the efforts of the City of Smithville and filed by the Ratepayers of the DeKalb Utility District. The petitioners have not and cannot meet the burden required for this court to overturn the decision of the UMRB, to remand this case back to the UMRB, or to do anything except affirm the UMRB Order.”
“The UMRB correctly decided to limit its review to the rates charged by the DUD and not to examine the business decision of the DUD to construct its own water treatment plant. While there was significant testimony about the water treatment plant, and even though the proof was overwhelming that the decision by the DUD to build its own plant was in the best interest of the customers of the DUD, the UMRB correctly decided that it was not its duty to examine that decision.”
The petitioners also contend that the UMRB failed to consider the capital expenditures associated with the new water treatment plant and how that would affect future rates. The UMRB’s ruling that DUD rates were reasonable was not supported by the material evidence presented at the hearing, according to the Petitioners.
In his court brief, Branstetter wrote that “the decision of the UMRB was supported by material evidence in the record. The transcript from the hearing and the exhibits introduced at the hearing show that the rates charged by the DUD are reasonable and that the rates proposed to be charged if the water treatment plant is built will also be reasonable. There was no proof introduced by the petitioners that would support a decision that the rates of DUD are not reasonable.”
Lastly, the petitioners argue that the UMRB did not conduct an “Open Hearing” to allow anyone an opportunity to speak and that the case should be remanded to the UMRB to hold another hearing to consider testimony and opinions of the ratepayers that desire to give public comment as part of the proceedings. Although the forum was open for the public to attend, it was conducted like a court hearing, with witnesses called to testify and be cross examined.
Branstetter wrote that this argument by the Petitioners is also without merit. “The UMRB proceeding was a contested case hearing under the Uniform Rules of Procedure for Hearing Contested Cases before State Administrative Agencies. It was not an open hearing under the Rules of the Comptroller of the Treasury for the Utility Management Review Board. As such, the Petitioners cannot legitimately argue that because the UMRB didn’t have “open microphone night” that the case should be remanded back to the UMRB for unfettered public comment.”
In the brief, Branstetter wrote that the ratepayers and the City of Smithville were represented by counsel. If their counsel had chosen to call any additional ratepayers to testify, they certainly had the right to do so. Any of the ratepayers in attendance who desired to give testimony could have been called by the counsel representing their interest, but the Petitioners failed to even attempt to call any ratepayer witnesses other than the two designate representatives, Randy Rhody and Hunter Hendrixson. The Petitioners should not now be allowed to complain that they were not given an opportunity to have an open forum when their counsel had the full ability to call any witnesses they so desired. If counsel for the Petitioners failed to call any witnesses and now assert that they were somehow prejudiced by not doing so, then it is their own fault for not calling other individuals to testify”.

A Murfreesboro woman has been charged with theft for allegedly stealing money and a car from a nursing home patient.
31 year old Robin Ann Baquedano is facing one count of theft of property over $10,000 and one count of theft of property over $60,000. Her bond is $200,000 and she will be in court on April 14.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Wednesday, January 15 a deputy went to a residence on McMinnville Highway in answer to a complaint of suspicious persons in a Ford Fiesta belonging to a patient at NHC Healthcare Center in Smithville. The officer spoke with Baquedano and another person and inquired about the victim’s car, which was not at the residence. Baquedano said she did not know where the car was but believed that her mother had it. The officer went to NHC and spoke with the victim who said no one should be driving her vehicle. The deputy later related that message to Baquedano. Almost three weeks later on Tuesday, February 4, Rutherford County officers spotted Baquedano driving the victim’s car in Murfreesboro. She was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle and held for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department who picked her up. The case was investigated by a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy and Criminal Detective.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Ray said Baquedano also allegedly took approximately $105,000 from the same victim’s money market account at Regions Bank in Smithville from November 8, 2013 to February 5, 2014. Baquedano has allegedly admitted to taking the victim’s money from the victim’s account.
In another case, 50 year old Reginald Hill Miller of Walker Creek Road, Alexandria is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court February 27. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, February 16, the Sheriff’s Department received a complaint of a physical altercation in progress at a residence on Walker Creek Road. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a woman who had a busted lip, swollen eye, and two cuts to her left cheek. She said that her husband assaulted her in a disagreement over the family dogs. Miller allegedly admitted to committing the assault and he was taken to jail.
32 year old Joshua Lesley Johnson of Hendrixson Road, Smithville was arrested on Wednesday, February 19 on a Grand Jury sealed indictment. He is charged with one count of sale and delivery of a schedule III drug (Subutex) and one count of violating the drug free zone. He was arraigned last Friday, February 21. His bond was $30,000.
31 year old Deanna Brooke Pedigo of Miller Road, Smithville is charged with disorderly conduct. Her bond is $2,000 and she will be in court on March 6. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, February 22, while a detective was conducting an investigation at DeKalb Market, Pedigo started yelling, cursing, and throwing things. She was arrested and taken to the jail for booking.

The Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge is back and better than ever! The 90 day challenge is sponsored by DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospitals as a county versus county competition to promote healthy diet and exercise for DeKalb and Cannon County residents. Last year’s event brought in three hundred twenty-two participants with a total combined weight loss of 943 pounds. To participate in the challenge, the communities have come together to join us at the DeKalb County Complex on February 25th or Stones River Hospital Cafeteria on February 27th – both events from 5:30pm to 6:30pm for the Kick-Off Celebration. To participate, you must work or live in Cannon or DeKalb Counties. If you are competing as a team, teams must have more than 50% of members from DeKalb or Cannon County. This way, out of county friends or family have an opportunity to join a team as well. No out of county ‘individual’ registrations are allowed. If you are unable to attend the Kick-Off Celebration, you have the option to stop by the DeKalb Co. Complex or Stones River Hospital Emergency Department to weigh-in and sign-up by Sunday, March 2, 2014.
“It’s simple. Everyone has 90 days to lose as much weight as they can. At the end of the challenge, the person (or team) that has lost the largest percentage of total weight wins $500 cash. There will be a $500 grand prize winner from both Cannon and DeKalb Counties, and additional prizes for second and third place teams or individuals,” said Shan Burklow- Marketing Director of DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospitals, “This is a fun way for us to support each other and get in shape. We have healthy cooking classes coming up as well as diet and exercise classes. Walking and running support groups are already starting to form on our facebook page. (WeightLossChallengeDeKalbCannon) We are excited to partner with Smithville Subway, Social Blendz Espresso Bar and Eatery, along with The Blue Porch Restaurant and The Gathering Place Cafe in Woodbury, TN. Each sponsor is offering a different discount or promotion when you show your Challenge Card and can help you choose lighter options to keep your calories on track.”
Local businesses that have partnered with the Weight Loss Challenge include Social Blendz Espresso Bar and Eatery and Subway Restaurant, both located on Hwy 70 / Broad Street in Smithville, along with The Blue Porch Restaurant located at the Arts Center of Cannon County in Woodbury, TN; right off John Bragg Highway and The Gathering Place Café on West Water Street in Woodbury. Sponsors will be offering a healthy menu for participants along with special discounts, coupons or offers when you show your Weight Loss Challenge Rewards Card.
“Social Blendz is excited to partner with the Weight Loss Challenge and have developed a special ‘Slender Breakfast’ and ‘Skinny Lunch’ Menu discounted for Challenge participants,” said Social Blendz owner Ron Sifford, “We use fresh ingredients and homemade bread….our paninis are delicious and our coffee is fresh ground. You can eat a delicious, low-calorie breakfast or lunch guilt-free!”
“We are proud to partner with the Weight Loss Challenge again this year,” said Pat Ford-Manager of Smithville Subway Restaurant, “Subway’s Fresh Fit Menu will work great within the Challenge and we are providing discount coupons, prizes and nutrition guides for each participant.”
“We are looking forward to the 2014 Weight Loss Challenge and hope that the community joins us in our enthusiasm,” said Sue Conley-CEO of DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospital, “Last year, in honor of the 943 pounds of combined weight both counties lost, our hospitals donated over 1,000 pounds of food to our local backpack food programs that support Cannon and DeKalb County Schools. Thanks to everyone who came out and joined the challenge last year. Due to the success of the Challenge, hundreds of needy kids were able to take a meal home with them from school throughout the year. We hope that even more people participate for 2014.”
For more information on how to participate in the Weight Loss Challenge, join their facebook page: www.facebook.com/WeightLossChallengeDekalbCannon or contact Director Shan Burklow sburklow@dchtn.com or call (615) 215-5448.

A 52 year old registered sex offender was sentenced on three counts of stalking Friday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
Judge David Patterson presided
Walter Smouthers received a two year sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other. He was given jail credit from August 5, 2013 to February 21, 2014
According to Smithville Police, Smouthers used a pre-paid cell phone to make sexually explicit calls from his home in Paris, Tennessee to female store clerks in Smithville.
Chief Randy Caplinger told WJLE that Smouthers, a former resident of Smithville, was arrested last August by Detective Brandon Donnell and Corporal Travis Bryant at Smouthers’ home in Paris.
Police believe Smouthers used the cell phone he purchased at a Walmart to make hundreds of sexually explicit calls between July 30, 2012 and August 12, 2013 to female clerks at six Smithville businesses.
According to Detective Donnell, Smouthers was arrested in 2007 for making similar types of phone calls to some of the same victims as in the latest cases. “It started happening again over the past year,” said Detective Donnell. “We got enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for the phone number and records and it pinged at an address in Paris, Tennessee. Through an investigation, we found that Smouthers, who lives in Paris Tennessee and is a registered sex offender, made the calls. After an investigation, it was determined a prepaid phone from Wal-mart was used to place the calls,” said Detective Donnell.
Smouthers placed his last call only minutes before police arrived to arrest him. “Twenty minutes before he was picked up and arrested, he had placed another call to Smithville,” said Detective Donnell.
“We believe this phone was used just for this purpose. He didn’t report having the phone and that would be a violation of the sex offender rules he is under in Paris, Tennessee,” said Detective Donnell.
Police found Smouthers’ cell phone hidden under a dresser in his Paris, Tennessee home.
The case was investigated by Detective Donnell and Corporal Bryant.

A 19 year old woman, charged with three others in an aggravated kidnapping last fall, pleaded guilty in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
Judge David Patterson presided.
Savanah Arnold received a six year sentence to serve for the aggravated kidnapping plus a two year sentence on a separate charge of delivery of a schedule III drug (Suboxone Strips). The two terms are to run consecutively for a total of eight years to serve at 30% before parole eligibility as a standard range one offender. Other charges against her are to be dismissed but she is to pay a $2,000 drug fine. Arnold was given jail credit of eighty five days.
Arnold and three others were named in Grand Jury sealed indictments in December, 2013 for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman they thought stole money and Suboxone strips from them in October. The cases against her co-defendants, Abigail Vogel and Johnny Devault are still pending in court. The fourth defendant, another woman, has not been arrested. Last month, Arnold was among sixty four persons named in sealed indictments by the Grand Jury as a result of a three month undercover drug investigation by the Sheriff’s Department.
In the aggravated kidnapping case, Smithville Police said the four defendants held the victim against her will at Arnold’s home on October 24. Arnold and the other woman then allegedly strip searched the victim, penetrated her body cavity looking for the money or drugs, and stole her clothes. The next day, October 25, Arnold allegedly dressed in the victim’s clothes, went to a local industry where the victim was employed and tried unsuccessfully to pick up the victim’s paycheck.
The victim came to the police department the day after the assault, October 25 to report the kidnapping, rape, and theft.
Lieutenant Matt Holmes related the story to WJLE on Wednesday, December 18 at the police department. “The victim said that on October 24, she went to Savanah Arnold’s house to watch the kids of some friends. While there, Arnold, Vogel, Devault, and the other woman showed up allegedly intoxicated on drugs and accused her of stealing from Arnold $575 and 60 suboxone strips. The victim denied it”.
According to Lieutenant Holmes, Arnold and the other woman took the victim to a back room and strip searched her. “One of the suspects placed a trash bag on her hand and penetrated the victim, searching for the money or drugs. She did not find anything. The victim resisted the assault and asked if she could leave. They refused to let her leave and took her cell phone so she couldn’t call anyone. Johnny Devault allegedly threatened to assault the victim if she continued to resist. They stole the victim’s clothes, placed her in a car half dressed, drove off and then dumped her out on the side of the road,” he said.
The next day, October 25 Arnold dressed in the victim’s clothes and went to the victim’s place of employment. She entered the industry, walked up to the counter wearing the victim’s ID and asked for her paycheck, representing herself as the victim. An industry official noticed that Arnold was not the victim and asked why she was there. Arnold then changed her story stating falsely that she was there to pick up the paycheck for the victim who was in a Nashville hospital. When the industry official told her the victim would have to come and get the check herself, Arnold left. The industry later received a call from a female, falsely identifying herself as the victim, saying it was okay for them to give her paycheck to whoever came to pick it up.
Industry officials alerted Smithville Police to a possible identity theft. Lieutenant Holmes and Officer James Cornelius responded to the call. Arnold was taken into custody at the industry and charged with identify theft.

The DeKalb County Commission Monday night honored Eagle Scout Ethan Judkins.
Judkins’ project consisted of fundraising for the construction of a handicap ramp and viewing platform for the physically challenged at the DeKalb County Fair.
The viewing platform and ramp are located at the hilltop arena and will be available for use during the 2014 DeKalb County Fair in Alexandria.
Judkins joined the Boys Scouts in 2007. He is a senior at DCHS. He enjoys outdoors, hunting, camping, canoeing. He is an active deer and turkey hunter. He has completed 21 merit badges and his project, the wheelchair observation deck, is expected to benefit people in wheel chairs to view activities at the T.C. McMillen arena during the fair.
Ethan plans to attend a diesel mechanic school after graduation. He is a friendly, outgoing young man. He has a positive attitude and a great outlook on life and he always has a plan.
The county commission honored Judkins by declaring Monday, February 24, 2014 Ethan Judkins Day in DeKalb County