Two men pleaded guilty to statutory rape of young girls in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. presided.
19 year old Paul D. Gilliam, indicted for statutory rape of a 14 year old girl, pleaded guilty to the indictment. He is requesting judicial diversion probation. A sentencing hearing is set for April 8.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said at the time of his arrest that Gilliam is alleged to have had sexual intercourse on four or five occasions with a 14 year old female at her home on Dale Ridge Road and with her consent. The offense allegedly occurred on May 30, 2012. The case was referred to the sheriff’s department and investigated by criminal detectives. Gilliam was arrested on July 11, 2012 and brought to the jail.
22 year old Stephen M. Rogers, Jr., indicted for the statutory rape of a 15 year old girl, pleaded guilty to the indictment. He is requesting judicial diversion probation. A sentencing hearing is set for April 8.
Meanwhile the parents of the victim in the Rogers case have each pleaded guilty to child neglect
46 year old Donna Smith and 34 year old Bryan Smith were indicted for child neglect because they allegedly allowed their daughter to engage in sexual activity with Rogers, even providing them condoms
Under a negotiated settlement, both Donna and Bryan Smith received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to supervised probation by CPS. They are to attend parenting classes.
The warrant against Rogers states that “on Friday, May 11, 2012 at a residence in Smithville, Rogers did have sexual intercourse with a 15 year old female while living with her the previous four months”.
The warrant against Donna Smith, the mother of the girl, states that she ” did knowingly approve of the daughter’s sexual intercourse with a 21 year old male, Michael Rogers. This has been happening for the previous four months and on several occasions. Also the parents furnished condoms to the subjects and allowed them to live together”.
The warrant against Bryan Smith, the father of the girl, states that he “did knowingly approve of his daughter’s sexual intercourse with a 21 year old male, Michael Rogers. He has known of this going on for the previous four months and on several occasions has furnished them with condoms and allowed them to live together knowing that this was going on in the residence.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Children Services and detectives and officers of the Smithville Police Department.

Twelve people answered to burglary and or theft charges in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. presided.
19 year old Ryan Austin Felts pleaded guilty to auto burglary and burglary. He received a two year sentence in the auto burglary case, suspended to probation. Felts got a four year sentence for the burglary, but state prosecutors are recommending judicial diversion probation for him. The cases are to run concurrently. He must make restitution to Jason’s Auto Sales in the amount of $1,981 and an amount to be determined to Chad’s Auto Sales. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, June 22, 2012 Felts broke into a vehicle at Jason’s Auto Sales at 3365 Nashville Highway with the intent to commit a theft. Entry was made by busting out the window and busting the steering column to try and take the vehicle without the owner’s consent. Felts was also charged by Smithville Police with vandalism, burglary, two counts of theft of a vehicle, and theft of property over $10,000 as a result of burglary and thefts at Chad’s Auto Sales on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 & 24, 2012.
22 year old William Richard Denton and 20 year old Travis Marcus Melton each pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000. Each received a four year sentence for aggravated burglary and two years for the theft all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently for a total of four years for both Denton and Melton. Sheriff Ray said that Melton allegedly broke into a residence on Johnson Chapel Road Sunday, July 29, 2012. Entry was made through a back window. Items taken in the burglary were gold chains, gold bracelet, rings, several handguns, and ammo, together valued at more than $1,000. According to Sheriff Ray, Denton assisted Melton in the burglary and gave him the combination to a safe where the guns were kept. Denton then allegedly sold the stolen items taken from the home. The case was investigated by a criminal detective of the Sheriff’s Department. Denton was arrested on Tuesday, August 7, 2012. Melton was arrested the following day.
37 year old Kevin G. Richardson pleaded guilty to theft over $1,000. He received a three year sentence on supervised probation to run concurrently with any sentence he is now serving. He must also make restitution of $4,410. Sheriff Ray said that on March 12, 2011, Richardson went to a farm on Tramel Branch Road and allegedly stole welders, a tiller, electric drills, electric wire, and several other items belonging to Danny Hale without his consent. These items were valued at over $1,000. The case was investigated by criminal detectives of the sheriff’s department
33 year old Heather Trapp pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation. Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger said on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 an employee of the Dollar General Store told police he saw Trapp place items in her purse. Trapp was confronted and confessed to the theft, removing the items from her purse. Trapp also admitted that she had been ordered, in a prior shoplifting offense there, not to be on the property of the Dollar General Store.
37 year old Russell Blackwell pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery and received a two year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other and with his current probation in another case. Blackwell was originally charged with five counts of forgery for allegedly passing forged checks on the account of a family member at a local bank totaling $2,075 in June, 2012. According to Chief Caplinger, Blackwell passed checks in the following amounts on the following days on the account of Harold Blackwell: $475 on June 22; $300 and $600 on June 25; $350 on June 26; and $350 on June 28.
25 year old Lindsey Davenport pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. She received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. She must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and make restitution if applicable. The sentence is to run concurrently with a General Sessions probated sentence. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Davenport allegedly broke into a residence on Cecil Hale Road. Entry was made by prying open the front door. Davenport allegedly stole nose trimmers, a Radio Shack Weather Alert Radio, two fishing poles, a wind up grandfather clock, and a red tool box with miscellaneous tools with a total estimated value of $817. The case was investigated by a criminal investigator of the sheriff’s department.
40 year old Willard Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case, all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently. He is under a restraining order to stay away from Potters Home Center.
21 year old Stephanie Mooneyham pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to probation supervised by the Cannon County probation office. The sentence is to run concurrently with her Cannon County probation. She was given ten days jail credit and is under a restraining order to stay away from Walmart.
25 year old Justin Cantrell pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to supervised probation to be supervised by community corrections. The case is to run concurrently with his probation in another case.
27 year old Robert Justin Luna pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and aggravated assault and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days plus three years probation. He was given credit for time served.. He must make restitution to JR Motors in the amount of $650. The sentence is to run concurrently with two other cases against him.
35 year old Amy Lawson pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four year sentence to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. She was given jail credit of sixty five days.

The DeKalb County Commission seems to be in no hurry to take up a proposal to authorize Sunday beer sales or to make it 24-7, the same as the City of Smithville has done for businesses licensed to sell packaged beer.
Some county commissioners would rather the issue be settled by the voters in a public referendum next year. But County Attorney Hilton Conger, during Monday night’s county commission meeting, said the Tennessee Attorney General has opined that there is no statutory authority for a local government to hold an advisory or non-binding referendum election. Therefore, if a decision is to be made on extending beer sales in DeKalb County, the county commission, which already has the authority, will have to vote to do it.
Last month local businessman Jewel Redmon, owner of Jewel’s Market and Pizza on North Congress Boulevard asked that stores be allowed to sell beer on Sunday. “I would like the county commission to consider letting us sell beer on Sunday,” said Redman. “We would just like to have the same opportunity to compete with our competition,” said Redmon.
Local minister Bernard Houk asked the county commission not to extend the hours for beer sales. Houk said this issue is personal with him because he has seen how that alcohol has destroyed lives. He urged the commissioners to think about what’s best for people rather than somebody’s wallet.
County Mayor Mike Foster told WJLE Monday night that the county commission may discuss at next month’s all-committee’s meeting the possibility of scheduling a public hearing at some future date to give the citizens a chance to express their views on the issue. County officials may also want to take some time to see how the changes made in the city are working out. It would then be up to the county commission as to whether or not to take a vote on extending beer sales for licensed businesses.
In March 2009, Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper, Jr. issued an opinion in answer to a question as to whether the Hamilton County Commission could, by referendum, seek voter opinion in deciding an issue regarding a Property Tax Freeze Act of 2007.
In his written opinion, Cooper wrote that “there is no general provision in the constitution of this state that authorizes a local government to hold an advisory or non-binding referendum election. The cited provision of the Property Tax Freeze Act of 2007 authorizes the legislative body of any county or municipality to adopt the property tax freeze program by resolution or ordinance,” wrote Cooper.
The County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS), which gives advice to county governments, writes that “the power to extend the hours for the sale of beer must be exercised by resolution of the county legislative body.”
“Local governments may vote to extend the hours for beer sales, but cannot shorten the hours for businesses licensed to sell beer.
The general law provisions regarding the hours of operation for businesses selling beer prohibits the sale of beer during the following hours:
1. No beer or like beverage shall be sold between the hours of twelve o’clock midnight and 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
2. No beer or like beverage shall be sold between the hours of twelve o’clock midnight on Saturday and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
3. No such beverage shall be consumed, or opened for consumption, on or about any licensed premises, in either bottle, glass, or other container, after 12:15 a.m.
However, county legislative bodies are authorized to extend the hours for the sale of beer in their counties by resolution. The county legislative body has no authority to shorten the hours for the sale of beer. The power to extend the hours for the sale of beer must be exercised by resolution of the county legislative body and cannot be delegated to the beer board.
Regardless of the hours established for the sale of beer, any establishment that has a permit from the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) to sell liquor or wine for on-premises consumption is allowed to sell beer at any time the establishment is legally authorized to sell liquor or wine provided the establishment has obtained a beer permit.
The hours for the sale of beer in “clubs” must conform to the hours for sale of liquor by the drink as provided in state law and cannot be changed by resolution of the county legislative body.
In counties that have adopted liquor by the drink by countywide referendum, county legislative bodies may fix the hours for the sale of beer within the county, but these hours have no effect on business establishments selling liquor by the drink.
In any jurisdiction that has voted to accept Tennessee River Resort District status under state law and is considered a Tennessee River Resort District , the hours for the sale of beer within the district cannot be less than the hours for the sale of liquor and wine for on-premises consumption.

The Trustee’s Office would like to remind you that February 28 is the last day to pay the 2012 property taxes before penalties start accruing March 1.
The Trustee’s Office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday. “Remember, if the last day comes and you can’t make it to the post office to postmark your payment, we do have a drop box on the outside wall of our new location at the new county complex,” said Trustee Sean Driver.
The Trustee’s Office also offers the State of Tennessee Tax Relief. “If you would like to check on a possible tax relief for 2012, come and see us at 732 South Congress Boulevard, Room 103 or call us at 597-5176,” said Driver. ” The last day to sign up for tax relief is April 5. Also any 2011 unpaid property taxes will be turned over to the Chancery Court on April 1,” he added.
Driver said you have four options for paying 2012 property taxes. “You can come by in person at the Trustee’s Office or you may mail in your payment. We also offer online bill pay at www.tennesseetrustee.com. You go to that website and select DeKalb County and then follow the instructions. Business Information Systems has set this up for approximately 65 Trustees across the state and there is a fee to use your debit or credit card. If you do pay online the fee to use your debit or credit card is 2.75%. Or you can use an e-check for 1.5%. Online accepts Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express,” said Driver.
“We are also accepting partial payments. That is new for 2012 and it’s only for 2012 taxes. Partial payment can be for any amount that you want to pay of the total tax bill. Remember if you take advantage of the partial payment plan for 2012, only that portion left unpaid after the deadline will accrue the 1.5% penalty and interest per month,” said Driver.

32 year old Eddie D. Farris was arrested by Smithville Police on Sunday after he allegedly rammed his truck into several parked vehicles, pushing one of them up against a house on Wade Street.
Farris, of Hurricane Ridge Road, is charged with five counts of felony vandalism and reckless endangerment. Chief Randy Caplinger reports that on Sunday, February 24 officers were dispatched to Wade Street where numerous witnesses stated that Farris had rammed several parked vehicles with his truck. He also pushed one of the vehicles through a yard, striking a house. Victims stated that they were in the door way when the vehicle was pushed into the front of the house. Damage was also done to the sidewalk in front of the residence.
The warrants against Farris allege that:
Felony Vandalism over $10,000: Farris intentionally drove (his truck) into a 2011 Chrysler several times causing over $10,000 in damage.
Felony Vandalism over $1,000: Farris did intentionally hit a 1991 Chevy S10 pickup and pushed it into the house at 406 Wade Street. He hit the vehicle (with his truck) several times causing over $1,000 in damage.
Felony Vandalism over $1,000: Farris did intentionally hit a 1995 Suzuki several times (with his truck) causing over $1,000 in damage.
Felony Vandalism over $1,000: Farris intentionally pushed a vehicle into a house (with his truck) doing over $1,000 in damage to the house at 406 Wade Street.
Felony Vandalism over $500: Farris did intentionally damage a side walk belonging to the City of Smithville by pushing vehicles into the side walk (with his truck) causing over $500 in damage.
Reckless Endangerment: Farris put the lives of several people inside the house at 406 Wade Street in danger when he intentionally pushed a vehicle into the house with his vehicle.
Bond for Farris is $40,000 and he will be in court on March 14.
Nicholas A Hollingsworth was arrested for driving on a revoked license, simple possession of a Schedule VI drug and promotion of manufacture of methamphetamine. Warrants state that on Sunday, February 17 Hollingsworth was stopped for a revoked license and after confiscating some marijuana from his person, the officer received consent to search his vehicle. Items were found in the vehicle for use in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Bond for Hollingsworth is $28,000 and his court date is March 14.
30 year old Candice Brook Vickers was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. Ms Vickers was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation. Vickers was found to be in possession of several used hypodermic needles. Her court date is March 14.
Anyone having any information on any criminal activities please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.
Any information received that will help the Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.