A DeKalb County woman is charged a second time with TennCare fraud involving prescription drugs.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Cannon County Sheriff’s Office, Monday announced the arrest of Ashley Hope Morgan, 28, of Readyville. A Cannon County indictment charges her with three counts of fraudulently obtaining controlled substances by doctor shopping for the painkillers Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, using TennCare to pay for the clinical visits.
Morgan was first charged with doctor shopping in DeKalb County this past April. That case is still pending adjudication in the DeKalb County Criminal Court.
She was indicted by the DeKalb County Grand Jury on April 6, 2015 for TennCare Fraud. At that time she lived on Gassaway Road, Liberty. According to the DeKalb County indictment, Morgan unlawfully obtained or attempted to obtain on or about June 14, 2014 a prescription from a healthcare provider and failed to disclose to that healthcare provider that she had received a prescription for a controlled substance of similar therapeutic use from another healthcare provider within the previous 30 days, and she did use TennCare to obtain the benefit, constituting the offense TennCare Fraud.
“When individuals go from doctor to doctor to obtain prescription drugs through TennCare benefits, state dollars are involved in illegal drug sales,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “We appreciate and value the hard work of the healthcare providers and the local law enforcement across the state and their efforts in helping us develop these cases.”
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Jennings H. Jones is prosecuting the Cannon County case.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,455 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or go to http://www.tn.gov/finance/topic/fa-oig.

The six year legal battle by former administrator of elections Lisa Peterson against the DeKalb County Election Commission is over.
After losing on the trial court level and in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, plaintiff attorneys had indicated an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court would be coming. But none did, according to Nashville Attorney John Harris, III who represented the DeKalb County Election Commission in the case. “They started that process (appeal to U.S. Supreme Court) but then did not complete it, which resulted in the judgment in favor of DeKalb County becoming final this year. So the case is over,” said Harris in a statement to WJLE Tuesday.
In January, a three judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit on the trial court level against the DeKalb County Election Commission and several others in Tennessee brought in 2009 by former administrators of elections who claim they did not get to keep their jobs for political reasons.
“This opinion from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the federal trial court’s initial decision that a Tennessee Administrator of Elections at the county election commission level is a position that can be terminated or even hired based upon political party affiliation. The significance of that is it means that if the plaintiffs in the case were correct in alleging that in 2009 they were terminated or not rehired because of their affiliation with the Democratic party, the 6th Circuit and the federal court hearing the case have now said that’s okay because the positions (administrators of elections) are political enough in nature that it is reasonable for the election commissions to consider party affiliation in making their employment decisions,” said Harris following that opinion.
Former DeKalb County Election Administrator Peterson and other former administrators filed the lawsuit in July 2009 against the defendant county election commissions, claiming that their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated when they were removed from their jobs because of their actual, or perceived, political party association. The former administrators asked the court to order their reinstatement, or in the alternative, order that they receive front pay for a reasonable amount of time. They wanted full back pay and a judgment for compensatory damages and punitive damages and an award for reasonable attorneys fees. Locally, the lawsuit named as defendants the three Republicans on the DeKalb County Election Commission James Dean, Walteen Parker, and Barbara Vanatta.
In February 2014, U.S. District Judge Kevin H. Sharp dismissed the case in favor of the election commissioners. The plaintiffs then appealed the case to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals as to whether the federal court’s ruling that the position of administrator of elections is a job under Tennessee law that has sufficient political significance that the individuals holding that position can be selected or deselected or fired based upon their party affiliation.
According to Harris, the case is also over for all the other counties involved in the lawsuit.”That is all of the counties that were still involved in the case. I think there were maybe eight or nine counties still covered by the Peterson case and then there was a parallel lawsuit filed separately against Clay County and it was dismissed in favor of Clay County just last week,” he said.

Smithville Elementary is asking you to help the school win a new playground.
Although most of the existing playground areas at the school are in good condition, Assistant Principal Anita Puckett said one asphalt section has not been upgraded in more than forty years.
“We have three different playground areas. The playground and the place where we have the swing areas and slides, those are fine. My big concern is this asphalt that has been here since I was a student back in the 70’s. It’s very dated. There are tree roots growing up underneath it (pavement) and it’s very dangerous. We have children who sustain a lot of boo boos, skinned knees, and hurt body parts due to this asphalt being so outdated and unlevel. I want us to have a cork court. Basically it’s material much like cork board. It doesn’t retain water but it will allow our playground to be updated and more safe especially for special needs children,” said Puckett.
“We have special needs students who are in wheel chairs and those who can’t physically walk on this unlevel asphalt. The cork court will allow them (special needs students) to be able to get down on their hands and knees and be able to play on the cork court and do some interaction with their teachers. We would also like to get some new basketball goals and just have a place for kids to learn basic skills in PE such as hopping, skipping, and things like that on the new court,” she said.
Members of the community can help by visiting the Smithville Elementary School website at http://ses.dekalbschools.net/ and voting online for a chance to obtain new playground equipment at “Together Counts” and “Imagination Playground”.
“We’ve got two different things on our website. One of them is “Together Counts” which is a $30,000 grant that can help us with our vision of getting this cork court to renovate our playground,” Puckett said.
“Another is “Imagination Playground”. It’s just a unique kind of foam with blue type shapes that are kind of like Legos that kids can use their imagination and play with,” she added.
How to vote?
“Basically this is just an online vote where parents, teachers, and anyone in the community can go online and vote for our school. Just go to the Smithville Elementary School website at http://ses.dekalbschools.net/ and click on the links. Type in your email. Once you have voted it will store your email. You confirm your email each day and that counts as your vote,” said Puckett.
Smithville Elementary School serves almost 600 students in pre-k through second grade.

An 18 year old DeKalb County man was sentenced last week in Warren County Circuit Court for allegedly trying to arrange a sexual encounter over the Internet with an underage girl.
Mickael Flyn Mosley of Fisher Avenue, Smithville received a four year term but will serve only two months after pleading guilty to exploitation of a minor by electronic means and solicitation of a minor for reasons of statutory rape. He must also list his name with the Tennessee Sexual Offender Registry.
According to McMinnville Police who investigated the case, Mosley was communicating with the girl through social media when he tried to get her to meet him to have sex. The girl is under thirteen years of age. The girl’s mother, who had installed an application on her computer to monitor the daughter’s on line messages, reported the incident to police after the conversations between her daughter and Mosley were sent to her email.
Police confronted Mosley at his home in DeKalb County. He was questioned and reportedly confessed to planning a meeting with the girl.

A 39 year old man charged with robbery entered a plea in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
Judge David Patterson presided.
Jimmy Layne Estes received a four year sentence for robbery all suspended to supervised probation. The term is to run concurrently with a General Sessions Court violation of probation against him. He was given jail credit from March 23 to October 2, 2015.
According to Smithville Police, Corporal Travis Bryant was dispatched to a robbery on Monday, March 23 which had occurred on West Broad Street. After the incident, the victim had gone to 632 Highland Street. Upon arrival Corporal Bryant met with the victim who said he was at home at 443 West Broad Street when he answered the door to an unknown male (Estes). After the victim opened the door, the male suspect (Estes) grabbed his phone from him and threw it out in the yard. The man (Estes) then struck the victim in the head and took about $45 from his wallet. The man (Estes) also took the victim’s cane and struck him with it. The victim gave a description of the suspect and police located him (Estes) in the vicinity of the robbery a short time later. A search of his person revealed about $43 concealed in his underwear. Estes, who was identified by the victim at the police department incident to arrest, told police he had been with his aunt all day.
29 year old Brian Howell entered a plea by information to burglary and received a three year sentence suspended to probation. He was given jail credit of sixty seven days. According to the criminal information, on or about July 26, 2015 Howell intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly entered a building (Edgar Evins State Park Office) not open to the public with the intent to commit theft.
24 year old Shauna Melissa Fleetwood entered a plea by information to attempted burglary and received a two year sentence suspended to thirty two days of jail time served. Her term is to run concurrently with a misdemeanor theft case against her in Wilson County. The first year of her probation is supervised. However, if all costs are paid during the first year, she will be on unsupervised good behavior probation during the second year.
32 year old Teesha Nicole Reynolds pled guilty to two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run consecutively for a total term of almost two years. No restitution or fines were ordered in the case but she will be on supervised probation.
66 year old Horace Laster, Jr. pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. He received a two year sentence on supervised probation. The term is to run consecutive to probation in another case. He is to possess no firearms or ammunition.
30 year old Wallace Rackley pled guilty to filing a false report and tampering with evidence. He received a four year sentence for the false report and six years for tampering with evidence. The terms are to run concurrently as one six year sentence and he is to serve six months and then be on probation.
54 year old David Linnear pled guilty by criminal information to simple possession and reckless endangerment. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on supervised probation in each case. The terms are to run concurrently. He was fined $250.
46 year old Kelli Rae Bullard pled guilty by criminal information to reckless endangerment and was granted judicial diversion for a period of 11 months and 29 days. She will be on supervised probation.
58 year old Eddie Blair pled guilty to a fourth offense of driving under the influence and received a two year sentence all suspended to supervised probation except for 150 days to serve. The sentence is to run consecutive to his probation in a Wilson County case against him. He will lose his license per Tennessee Department of Safety regulations. Blair was also fined $3,000. He was given jail credit from May 16, 2015 to October 2, 2015.
34 year old William Smallwood, II pled guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended except for 48 hours to serve. He was fined $350 and will lose his license for one year. He must also attend an alcohol safety school. Smallwood was given jail credit of eighteen hours.
46 year old Victor Gingerich pled guilty to a second offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation except for forty five days to serve which may include twenty eight days in rehab. He will lose his license for two years per Tennessee Department of Safety regulations and he was fined $600.
32 year old Clayton Moore pled guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended except for forty eight hours to serve. He was fined $350 and must attend an alcohol and drug safety education program. Moore will also lose his license for one year.
28 year old Jessie Jones pled guilty to simple possession and possession of drug paraphernalia and received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run consecutively for a total of almost two years. He was fined $900. Jones was given jail credit of 174 days. He will be on supervised probation for the first year but he may be placed on unsupervised probation the second year if costs and fees are paid by the end of the first year.
44 year old Chad Knowles pled guilty to being an habitual offender and received a two year sentence to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction. He was given jail credit of 105 days.
37 year old Jeffrey Hennessee pled guilty to reckless driving and was granted judicial diversion good behavior probation for a period of five months and 29 days.
31 year old Jeremy Mark Ashburn pled guilty to reckless endangerment and possession of a handgun while under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run concurrently with each other. He is to serve thirty days on weekends in the reckless endangerment case. He was also fined $650. The sentence in the handgun case was suspended but he must forfeit the weapon.

Leadership DeKalb began its 18th class at the Appalachian Center for Craft on Thursday, September 24. The adult leadership training program selects individuals who are or show the desire for the role of community trustees. Participants study the county in-depth; strengthen leadership skills; and build a network of fellow leaders through Leadership DeKalb classmates, alumni, presenters, and current leaders in business, services and our community. Leadership DeKalb shapes our county’s future with knowledgeable, effective and active leaders.
Each year, a new class embarks on the year-long program, which meets once a month from September through June. The Class of 2016 members are: Eric Birmingham; Dan DelaCruz, Kustom Printing Products; Hannah James, DCHS student/Smithville Rotary Club; Jennifer Keaton, Wilson Bank & Trust; Matt Lawrence, DeKalb Tire and Service; Brandy Lawson, Wal-Mart; John Mullen, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas; Beth Pafford, DeKalb County Schools; Steve Quick, Radio Personality; Morgan Vickers, DCHS student/St Thomas DeKalb Hospital; and Jacob Young, Edgar Evins State Park.
Leadership DeKalb thanks the Appalachian Center for Craft for hosting the opening retreat and session sponsors St Thomas DeKalb Hospital and Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce. Breakfast was provided by Dr. Mitchell Tatum, DDS. Lunch was provided by Family Medical Center. Afternoon refreshments were sponsored by Ace Hardware.
(PICTURED ABOVE: Back Row Left to Right: Steve Quick, John Mullen, Jacob Young, Matt Lawrence
Middle Row Left to Right: Dan DelaCruz, Brandy Lawson, Eric Birmingham
Front Left to Right: Director, Jen Sherwood, Morgan Vickers, Beth Pafford, Jennifer Keaton, Hannah James