Two Sentenced in Multi-Agency Drug Bust

February 11, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Two of five convicted felons arrested last summer after an undercover drug investigation by several local and state law enforcement agencies appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday, February 9

.39 year old Amy Renee Ford of Watertown entered a plea by criminal information to introduction of contraband and unlawful possession of a firearm. She received a four year sentence on the contraband charge and two years for the firearm offense to run consecutively for a total of six years however the term has been suspended to supervised probation with 245 days of time served from June 9, 2017 to February 9, 2018. She must forfeit the weapon.

35 year old Courtney Paris of New Hope Road, Alexandria entered a plea by criminal information to possession of a schedule II drug for resale and possession of a firearm. She got a six year sentence for the drug offense and four years for the firearm charge to run concurrently for a total of six years however the term has been suspended to TDOC probation. She must forfeit the weapon. Paris was given jail credit from June 9, 2017 to February 9, 2018.

The cases against the other three defendants remain pending in court.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, June 9, 2017 agents went to 332 New Hope Road, Alexandria and seized approximately 5 grams of fentanyl, methodone, morphine, xanax, six weapons (including two assault rifles), a Chevy Silverado, a Dodge Dakota, a BMW car, cell phones, flash drives, home security system, digital scales, computer, ammo, and $973 cash.

Ford and Paris were arrested along with 36 year old Samer Walid Abdalla, 55 year old Ernest Grady Tanner, and 39 year old Jerry Henry Goff

The narcotics search warrant was executed and served at the residence by members of the 13th & 15th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Alexandria Police Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Division, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

Adballa and Paris were in the master bedroom where agents found approximately 5 grams of a powder substance on a nightstand that tested positive for fentanyl; prescription narcotics which were packaged for resale, guns, three sets of digital scales, a large amount of hypodermic needles, and packaging material used in the distribution of narcotics.

Sheriff Ray said that Abdalla, who is Hepatitis C positive, fought with agents while resisting arrest and he tried to bite them. Abdalla also suffered a bloody nose during the scuffle putting the officers at risk of being infected. He was charged with criminal exposure of Hepatitis C. “Abdalla was ordered several times to raise his hands and to place them behind his back. He failed to comply, striking at agents and forcing them to restrain him to affect the arrest. Abdalla fought with the agents and tried to take an agent’s gun by grabbing the upper barrel portion of the rifle and pulling. Abdalla tried to bite two agents who were trying to restrain him. Abdalla was slightly injured and began bleeding from the nose. He continued to struggle knowing that he has Hepatitis C placing agents at risk of being infected. Abdalla acknowledged that he has Heptatis C and he has been charged with criminal exposure twice before,” said Sheriff Ray.

Abdalla was also charged with assaulting an officer and resisting arrest as he tried to keep agents from taking both Paris and himself into custody. Both Abdalla and Paris were each charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule II drug (fentanyl) and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Agents found a 9 millimeter pistol inside Paris’ pocketbook within reach of both Paris and Abdalla.

Sheriff Ray said Abdalla has numerous felonies on his record including two counts of possession of cocaine on May 25, 2004, criminal simulation on September 10, 2008, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony on May 7, 2012.

Paris was convicted for possession of a schedule II drug on November 16, 2011 and she has other felony convictions.

Tanner is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. According to Sheriff Ray, Tanner was found in another bedroom of the home along with a Ruger mini-14 rifle, a DPMS-AR 15 rifle, a Springfield Armory .45 caliber 1911 semi-automatic pistol, and approximately 150 plus rounds of ammunition of various calibers. On October 7, 2005 Tanner was convicted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor domestic assault. Tanner was sentenced to 10 months in the U.S. penitentiary in McCreary, Kentucky.

Ford and Goff were in a guest bedroom of the home where agents recovered from a closet a Revelation. 22 caliber rifle with a bullet in the magazine but not chambered. Narcotics were discovered in a duffle bag that also held Goff’s driver license.

Both Ford and Goff were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Goff was further charged with possession of a schedule II drug with intent to sell or deliver.

The following day, Ford was charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution after drugs were found on her during a strip search. “Ford was being dressed out for housing at the jail and during a strip search by a female correctional officer, a small cellophane baggie with a clear crystal substance was found in her body cavity. It field tested positive for meth,” said Sheriff Ray.

According to Sheriff Ray, Ford is a convicted felon. She was sentenced to 8 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections for initiation of methamphetamine in 2012.
Goff pled guilty to manufacturing meth on November 7, 2012.

In other cases, 21 year old Dylan Crook entered a plea to sale of methamphetamine over 0.5 grams and received an eight year sentence on TDOC probation after he serves 270 days in the DeKalb County Jail. The term is to run concurrently with a violation of probation sentence against him. Crook was fined $2,000 and he must make restitution of $200 to the Sheriff’s Department. Crook was given jail credit from November 13, 2017 to February 9, 2018.
48 year old Michael Lee Bailey entered a plea by criminal information to aggravated assault and received a six year sentence suspended to probation. He us under a restraining order to keep away from the victim.

(CLICK LINK BELOW FOR COMMUNITY CALENDAR, CHURCH NEWS, CLASSIFIEDS AND MORE)
http://www.wjle.com/community

February 10, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A Murfreesboro man lost his life in a motorcycle crash Friday on Dale Ridge Road (State Route 96) near the Company Store location and not far from Center Hill Dam.

Dead is 46 year old Marcus Wade.

Trooper Sean Tramel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that Wade was operating a 1998 BMW motorcycle north on Dale Ridge Road when he failed to negotiate a curve and struck a rock embankment. Wade was transported by DeKalb EMS to St Thomas DeKalb Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Trooper Tramel was assisted by Troopers Jason Cobble and Danielle Neal.

Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.

(CLICK LINK BELOW FOR COMMUNITY CALENDAR, CHURCH NEWS, CLASSIFIEDS AND MORE)
http://www.wjle.com/community

February 9, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Nashville-based financial services company Advance Financial cut the ribbon today at the company’s newest store in Smithville. To mark the occasion, the Advance Financial Foundation donated $1,000 to the DeKalb County 4-H.

“The communities surrounding all of our locations are extremely important to us,” said Shantrelle Johnson, VP of corporate citizenship for Advance Financial. “Through the Advance Financial Foundation, we are able to provide extra support to those organizations working to make a difference in these regions. We are thrilled to make a contribution to the DeKalb County 4-H and help fund the educational programs they offer.”

Started in 2014, the Advance Financial Foundation invests in the communities the company serves through support for local 501(c)3 organizations and community enrichment programs. The Foundation places a particular focus on enhancing education and health and wellness initiatives.

Advance Financial’s store in Smithville is located at 503 South Mountain Street. It is open 24/7 and offers a range of financial services including prepaid cards, electronic wire services to anywhere in the world, check cashing, FLEX loans, free bill-payment services and free money orders.
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About Advance Financial
Advance Financial, founded in 1996, is a family owned and operated financial center based in Nashville, Tenn. The company currently operates more than 80 locations throughout Tennessee and employs more than 800 local representatives. The company provides a wide variety of financial services – including wire transfer, free bill payment, unlimited free money orders and FLEX loans. Advance Financial earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country for the sixth year in a row. For more information visit www.af247.com.