A fire late Friday night destroyed the home of Jerry Ashford at 215 West Spring Street, Smithville.
Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department received the call around 11:39 p.m. but the fire was well underway by that time and they could not save the home.
Ashford and his wife and son were sleeping at the time of the fire but awoke to the smoke and were able to escape the burning house just in time without injury. However, at least one of the family dogs died in the blaze.
In addition to the home, the family lost all their belongings in the fire.
The cause of the blaze was undetermined at last report.
In addition to city fire fighters, others at the scene included members of the Smithville Police Department and DeKalb EMS.

With attorney Hilton Conger by his side, B. Don James stood before U.S. District Court Judge Todd Campbell in Nashville Friday afternoon and pleaded guilty to all 15 counts of wire fraud totaling more than $1.8 million dollars as charged in the indictment against him.
While each count carries a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, Judge Campbell announced during the hearing that the anticipated recommended sentencing range, under the plea agreement, is 97 months to 121 months imprisonment and a fine range of $15,000 to $150,000. The court may also impose an additional fine amount to cover all or part of the costs of any term of incarceration, supervised release, or probation as provided by federal law.
James has not yet been sentenced. That will come during a sentencing hearing set for Friday, May 25th at 1:00 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Nashville.
James will remain free on his current conditions of release pending further order of the court.
During the hearing, Judge Campbell summarized the charges in the indictment and then asked James to tell the court in his own words what he did that led to these offenses. James replied, ” I was proposing to do things with the investors money that I didn’t do. I didn’t think it would fail, but I was wrong.”
Judge Campbell asked James if he was under the influence of any medication that would keep him from understanding the charges against him or the terms of his plea. James answered that he was taking prescribed medication for high blood pressure, ulcers, and a mental condition, but that he only took those medicines at night and that they had no affect on his mental state during the hearing.
Investigator Terry Hembree of the 13th Judicial District presented a summary of the prosecution’s case against James, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Williamson.
Hembree told the court that “From on or about 1997 up to and including on or about 2004, James defrauded investors by telling them that their funds would be used to purchase premium financing contracts when in fact James did not intend to use the funds in that manner. In fact, from at least 1997, Investors Insurance Finance did not invest any funds in premium financing contracts.”
James operated an insurance-related business known as “B. Don James & Son’s Insurance” and another business known as “Investors Insurance Finance” which was brokering investment in insurance premium financing.
According to Hembree, ” James made additional representations to potential investors that if they invested their funds with Investors Insurance Finance, he would invest their funds in premium financing contracts, that the investors would received fixed and guaranteed rates of return, and that the only way that the investors could lose the money that they invested with Investors Insurance Finance would be if James himself stole it.”
“In fact, James knew that there were no guaranteed rates of return because he was not investing the money in the manner promised, and that even if he had invested the money that way, he could not have guaranteed the rates of return promised. In order to convince his investors that their money was invested in the manner James represented, he made payments to his investors which he represented to be interest payments accruing as a result of premium finance contracts that James had purportedly purchased on the investors’ behalf when, in actuality, the funds used to make the supposed interest payments were other investors’ funds that James was using to disguise the fact that he had not invested any funds in premium financing contracts.”
Hembree explained that on at least fifteen occasions, James caused interstate wire communications to be transmitted from Tennessee to Alabama in order to make deposits of investors funds totaling more than $1.8 million dollars although the total loss caused by the instant fraud, including conduct not charged in the indictment, exceeded $7 million dollars. In addition, more than 50 people were defrauded by James’ scheme.”
The wire fraud apparently amounted to James making deposits in a local bank, which were later electronically transferred to a bank location in another state.
Only two of the investors were present for Friday’s hearing but neither of them were asked to speak during the proceedings.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has apparently solved a recent burglary and theft as well as a separate case of harassment with the arrest of two people.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 23 year old Bobby Vaughn of Murfreesboro is charged with theft over $1,000, aggravated burglary, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Vaughn is accused of breaking into a residence on Pea Ridge and stealing $2,675 worth of items from the home.
Vaughn faces a contributing charge because he allowed a minor to go with him and participate in the crime.
Bond for Vaughn is set at $40,000.
Meanwhile, 30 year old Brian Lee Adams of Cecil Hale Road, Smithville is charged with harassment after he allegedly went to the home of a female relative and placed a letter containing sexually suggestive remarks on her vehicle.
During questioning, Sheriff Ray says Adams gave a statement implicating himself in the crime..
His bond is set at $1,000.

A Murfreesboro man was seriously injured in a motorcycle and pickup truck collision Wednesday afternoon outside the city limits in front of DeKalb Market on Highway 70.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 56 year old William Cope, the operator of a 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle, was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga with serious injuries, especially to his leg.
Trooper England says the accident occurred at 2:45 p.m. when 61 year old Herbert Smallwood of Gainesboro, driving east on Highway 70 in a 1999 Ford Ranger, attempted to make a left turn into the parking lot of DeKalb Market. As he made his turn, Smallwood crossed into the path of Cope’s motorcycle, which was traveling west on Highway 70.
Trooper England says Smallwood was cited for failure to yield. He was not injured.
The crash was investigated by Trooper England with assistance from Trooper Keith Maddox. Others providing assistance were members of the DeKalb County and Smithville Volunteer Fire Departments, DeKalb EMS, Sheriff’s Deputies, and a Smithville Police Officer.

Investigator William Elliott, member of the Smithville Police Department, has been named “Officer of the Month”.
Signed by Chief Thomas J. Stufano, Mayor Taft Hendrixson, and Police Commissioner Aaron Meeks, the commendation states that ” On behalf of the City of Smithville Police Department I would like to commend you for your recent actions and diligent efforts in your capacity as Police Investigator. Your determination and efforts this month in handling numerous drug investigations and subsequent seizures of property relating to drug activity has resulted in the successful prosecution of offenders that sold drugs within the city of Smithville.”
“Due to your professional training, the many hours of dedicated service on your own time and the professionalism displayed during prosecution of these crimes, know that you are making a difference for the citizens of Smithville in our joint efforts to deter drugs in our community. Your expertise enabled the citizens of Smithville, your fellow co-workers and guests of our area to know that their call for ZERO tolerance on drugs is working. You have served with distinction and are a credit to your professionalism as a Smithville Police Officer.”
“Additionally, your work ethic and tenacity during the month of February has shown your true commitment to the citizens we serve and your fellow officers.”
“I appreciate your input and current performance and for that you are hereby formally recognized and commended with a copy of this Commendation becoming apart of your permanent personnel record for all to see.”
“Congratulations on a job well done!”

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has charged one man with several recent burglaries and vandalisms and more charges and arrests may be forthcoming.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 39 year old Alton David Estes of Circle Drive, Dowelltown is charged with one count of burglary, four counts of theft, and three counts of vandalism. He is under a $35,000 bond and will be in General Sessions Court on the charges March 8th.
Sheriff Ray says Estes was arrested on Tuesday after officers went to his home to execute a search warrant looking for stolen items. He says on January 15th while the business was closed, Estes broke a door upon entry to the Clover Leaf Restaurant in Liberty and stole $60 in cash. He is charged in that case with burglary and theft of property under $500.
On January 31st, Sheriff Ray says Estes went to Tennessee Barn Builders on Highway 70 near Smithville, where he broke into a soft drink vending machine to get the change. On the same night, Sheriff Ray says Estes went to DeKalb Farmers Coop, where he broke into two soft drink vending machines and stole some change. Estes is charged with two counts of vandalism over $1,000 and theft under $500 in those cases.
On February 25th, Sheriff Ray says Estes went to Prichard’s Foods on Highway 53 in Alexandria, where he broke into two soft drink vending machines and stole $150 worth of change. He is charged with vandalism over $1,000 and theft under $500 in the case.
Meanwhile, Estes’ wife, Cassandra Robinson of Circle Drive, Dowelltown is charged in a separate case of driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license (2nd offense), and leaving the scene of an accident. Sheriff Ray says Robinson was recently involved in a wreck on Highway 70 but fled the scene as officers arrived. They later learned her identity and arrested her on Monday, February 26th. She is under a $6,000 bond and her court date is March 22nd.
Sheriff Ray says 52 year old Charles Earl West of Pine Grove Road, Smithville was arrested February 22nd for violation of the sex offender registration act because he failed to report on time. His bond is $10,000 and he will appear in court on the charge March 8th