Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department spent much of Wednesday night rounding up defendants named in sealed indictments returned by a special session of the Grand Jury on Monday.
The defendants were arrested and brought to the main station of the DeKalb County Fire Department on King Ridge Road to be booked.
The State of Tennessee Department of Revenue, Drug Tax Enforcement Division, was also on hand collecting drug taxes from some of these defendants.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says the Grand Jury returned 162 count sealed indictments involving twenty four defendants as the result of an undercover investigation conducted by the Sheriff’s Department, which has been underway since last fall. ” They are charged with drug trafficking crimes and several of the defendants are charged with theft crimes. All the drug defendants are considered active dealers in their communities.”

“During our investigation we bought prescription drugs such as hydrocodone, dilaudid, oxycontin, and a new drug we’ve seen come out called roxycodone, which is the same thing as oxycontin, it’s just not time released like oxycontin. We also bought marijuana.”
“We had a couple of defendants who were charged in theft crimes at the Four Seasons Boat Marina and at an impound lot of a local wrecker driver. They broke in there and stole some radios and other equipment. Some of them also busted out the front glass of some businesses around the City of Smithville.”
“This operation is my administration’s way of showing the citizens of DeKalb County that we are serious about dealing with the drug problem here. We’re also serious about the burglaries and thefts that we have here in the county. I made a pledge to the citizens and voters that I would help put people in jail that deal in drugs and keep them off the streets and out of the reach of children.”
“We’ve already started our next phase of drug investigations so we’ll probably be taking more warrants at a later date. We also have some more theft and burglary cases that the criminal detectives are working on that also could possibly turn into sealed indictments such as these.”
The following are names of defendants in this investigation who have been arrested so far:
32 year old Dana Michelle Bullard of Prater Road Smithville- possession of a schedule II drug (dilaudid) for resale and delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $100,000
20 year old Timothy (Tyler) William Patrick of the Loop, Smithville- one count of sale of a schedule II drug (Dilaudid) and one count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $50,000.
31 year old Brandy Egerton of Page Drive Smithville, charged with auto burglary and vandalism under $500. Her bond is $10,000.
19 year old Amanda Brook England of A.B. Frazier Road Smithville- 4 counts of auto burglary, 13 count of burglary, 8 counts of vandalism under $500, 6 counts of vandalism over $500, 8 counts of vandalism over $1,000, 5 counts of theft of property under $500, 1 count of theft of property over $500, 5 counts of theft over $1,000, 1 count of sale and 1 count of delivery of a schedule III drug (Hydrocodone). Total bond $150,000
21 year old Troy Lee Cunningham of A.B. Frazier Road Smithville- 4 counts of auto burglary, 13 counts of burglary, 8 counts of vandalism under $500, 6 counts of vandalism over $500, 8 counts of vandalism over $1,000, 5 counts of theft of property under $500, 1 count of theft of property over $500, 5 counts of theft over $1,000, 1 count of sale and 1 count of delivery of a schedule III drug (Hydrocodone). Total bond $150,000
34 year old Brad Elliott Johnson of Village Place Smithville- 2 counts of sale of schedule II drug (Oxycontin), 2 counts of sale of schedule II drug (Roxycodone), and 4 counts of delivery of a schedule II drug. Sheriff Ray says these sales were made in a drug free zone. When deputies picked up Johnson, they found a tube containing a white residue. Johnson was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Johnson’s total bond is $101,000 and he will appear in court on the possession of drug paraphernalia charge on May 28th.
40 year old William Andrew (Andy) Cantrell of Redmon Road- 1 count of sale of a schedule II drug (Dilaudid) and 1 count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $50,000
43 year old Tammy Denise Miller of Author Hillis Road ,Woodbury- 1 count of sale of a schedule II drug (Dilaudid) and 1 count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $50,000.
36 year old Arthur (Art) Lee Dawson Jr. of Grand Avenue, Smithville 1 count of sale of a schedule II drug (Oxycontin) and 1 count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $150,000.
21 year old Priscilla L. Roberts of Students Home Road Smithville- 1 count of sale of a schedule II drug (Oxycontin) and 1 count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $50,000.
21 year old Coty L. McCormick of West Main Street Smithville- 2 counts of sale of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and 2 counts of delivery of a schedule VI drug. Upon being arrested, McCormick was found with marijuana on his person. He was further charged with possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) for resale Total bond $90,000.
Detectives took state warrants on 20 year old Melissa Gail Andrews for simple possession of a schedule III drug (Hydrocodone) after she was found to have the pill on her person. A search warrant was executed at the West Main Street home in Smithville Thursday morning (May 14th) and detectives found more marijuana there. Andrews was further charged with simple possession of marijuana as a result of the search warrant. Andrews’ total bond was set at $4,500 and she will appear in court on May 28th..
40 year old Michael (Waterhead) Lee Lawrence of Springfield- 2 counts of sale of schedule II drug (dilaudid) and 2 counts of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $100,000.
32 year old Jimmy Lane Estes of Jacobs Pillar Road Smithville- 1 count of sale of a schedule II drug (Dilaudid) and 1 count of delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $50,000
42 year old Ritchie Lee Bennett of Old Temperance Hall Road Lancaster- manufacture of a schedule VI drug (Marijuana). Total bond $50,000.
34 year old Billy Wayne Crook Jr. of Blue Springs Road Smithville- manufacture of a schedule VI drug (Marijuana). A marijuana cigarette was found on Crook’s person as he was being arrested. He also resisted arrest when officers tried to take him into custody. Total bond is $57,500. Crook will appear in court on the resisting arrest and simple possession charges on May 28th.
43 year old Riley Anthony Bullard of Prater Road Smithville- possession of a schedule II drug (dilaudid) for resale and delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $100,000.
48 year old Nickey Reese Cantrell of Short Mountain Highway- possession of a schedule II drug (dilaudid) for resale and delivery of a schedule II drug. Total bond $100,000.
19 year old Travis Allen Bogle of Eagle Creek Road Smithville- 1 count of vandalism under $500 and 1 count of auto burglary. Total bond $10,000.
Most of these defendants will appear in criminal court for arraignment on May 22nd.

Smithville Police Officer Nathan Estes, during his off time from work, recently competed in a Bench Press competition near Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Estes says he was among approximately ninety people from across the nation who participated in the annual event, which is held at New Rhodes, Louisiana
As winner of the Fire and Police Division, Estes says he won a sword and $400 which he donated to Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in New Rhodes to help support their charity work in the area. “My first lift was 485 pounds. The second lift was 495 and my third lift was 510. I was successful in all of them.”

The proposed new school budget for next year calls for the elimination of several positions due to insufficient funds, but employees of the school system need not to worry, because federal stimulus money will be used to fund those positions. BEP reserves will also be used to help balance the school budget.
In an informal workshop session Monday night, Director of Schools Mark Willoughby met with all members of the school board to discuss the proposed budget for the 2009-2010 school year. The board must act on the tentative spending plan during Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting because by law, the budget must be in the hands of the County Mayor by Friday, May 15th.

Willoughby says the new budget calls for no local property tax increase for schools. There will also be no local pay raises for employees next year, other than the regular step increases on the pay scale. Teachers and support staff will step up according to the existing salary scales. Willoughby says there has been no official word from the State of Tennessee regarding teacher salary increases for 2009-2010 and no additional dollars are currently in those line items of the new budget. There is a 1% increase in health insurance matching for all employees participating in the health insurance program.
Willoughby says while cuts have been made in many areas of the budget, there is a request for another $50,000 (going from $300,000 to $350,000) in capital outlay spending to help fund two portable classroom buildings to address overcrowding at the high school and possibly at DeKalb West School. Each portable contains two classrooms and a bathroom.
Total anticipated revenues for schools for 2009-2010 comes to $17-million, 079-thousand 422. Total expenditures were originally projected to be $17-million, 822-thousand, 740, a difference of $743,318. But the proposed expenditures have now been adjusted down to $17-million 565-thousand, 005, reducing the shortfall to $485,583.
Willoughy says eliminating the following positions from the general purpose school budget will reduce local spending by $257,735 but those jobs will be preserved by using federal stimulus money to fund them. However, when the federal stimulus expires in a couple of years, the school system will once again be faced with having to fund those positions.
The specific proposal is as follows:
Eliminate 2 positions (teachers) from Regular Instruction (budget line Item 71100-116)- $101,000
Eliminate 2 positions (teachers) from Special Education (71200-116)- $77,825
Eliminate 1 position (speech pathologist) from Special Education(71200-171)- $40,000
Eliminate 2 positions (educational assistants) from Special Education (71200-163)- $25,000
Eliminate 1 part/time position (job coach) from Special Education (71200-189)- $10,000
Reduce expenditures from Special Education (contracted services) (71200-399)- $14,760
Eliminate 1 position from Transportation (72710-189)- $7,650
Correction in anticipated expenditures( 72710-338)- $31,500
Again, by making these reductions in local spending, the difference in total expenditures over revenues is reduced from $743,318 to $485,583. Willoughby says this amount can be offset to balance the budget by making one time expenditures from BEP reserves.
The school board will meet to discuss the budget and several other issues Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at the cafeteria of DeKalb County High School. WJLE plans LIVE coverage.

Fifth graders at Northside Elementary School received certificates during the annual DARE graduation ceremony held Tuesday.
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program was conducted by DARE Instructor and Chief Deputy Don Adamson of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Each student prepares an essay during the course and those with the best essays from each class are recognized and awarded. This year’s essay winners at Northside are Daisy Recendiz, Aleka Curtis, Kelly Armour, Andrew Cooper, Allison Mosely, Madison Hayes, and Kaitlin Rhea.
Madison Hayes was the over-all winner and she read her essay during Tuesday’s program. In addition to the award, prizes, and recognition, Hayes gets to keep “Daren the Lion” the DARE Mascot. Judge Bratten Cook II also presented her a check for $50.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, who spoke during the DARE graduation, told the students that “D.A.R.E. is a cooperative effort by the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County School System, parents, and the community. I ask you today students, to take this valuable information and apply it to your lives, now and forever.”
Others who made remarks during the ceremony were Northside Principal Dr. Gayle Redmon, Judge Cook, and Director of Schools Mark Willoughby.
Other public officials on hand for the DARE graduation program, in addition to Sheriff Ray and Judge Cook, were County Mayor Mike Foster, Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack, Register of Deeds Jeff McMillen, and Trustee Sean Driver.
(Bottom picture left to right: Kaitlin Rhea, Madison Hayes, Allison Mosely, Andrew Cooper, Kelly Armour, Aleka Curtis, and Daisy Recendiz)

The DeKalb County Tigerettes lost 11 to 1 to the Goodpasture Lady Cougars in the Regional Tournament Championship Game Tuesday afternoon in Madison.
Goodpasture scored two runs in the first inning, one run in the third inning, four runs in the fourth, and four runs in the fifth.
DeKalb County scored one run in the fifth inning.
The game was called in the fifth inning due to the ten run rule.
Olivia Norton gave up eleven runs on thirteen hits through five innings. She walked one.
Victoria Bennett had an RBI double in the game and Jaylen Garrett, Kristina Stephens, and Kara Young each singled. DeKalb County committed three errors.
The Tigerettes will play at Chattanooga Christian in the Sub-State on Friday at 5:30 p.m. eastern time/ 4:30 p.m. central (Smithville) time.
Chattanooga Christian defeated Sequatchie County 6 to 1 Wednesday to advance to the Sub-State.
WJLE plans LIVE coverage.

Students in Janet Woodward’s second grade class at Smithville Elementary School have learned the names of all the U.S. Presidents in the order in which they served.
The children recited the President’s names for WJLE Tuesday morning in their classroom.

Members of the class are Ethan Beasley, Anna Rachel Blair, Madi Cantrell, Madison Colwell, Dylan Cripps, Lance Davis, Sarah Evans, Malone Fletcher, Andrew Fuson, Parker Gassaway, Ealy Gassaway, Macy Hedge, Nautica Johnson, Noah Johnson, Faith Judkins, Madison Judkins, Braya Murphy, Colter Norris, Robin Pafford, and Allie Redmon.
In addition to the video presentation hear, you can listen to the children each morning this week following the 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. morning local news on WJLE AM1480/FM 101.7.