Prisoner Found in Jail with Cocaine and Fentanyl Hidden in Rectum

January 3, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A prisoner at the jail was found last week with cocaine and fentanyl hidden in his rectum.

22-year-old Caleb Ryan Warrick of Lebanon is charged with possession of a schedule II drug (cocaine), possession of a schedule II drug (fentanyl) and bringing contraband into a penal institution. His bond is $60,000 and he will make a court appearance January 5.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on December 26 during a strip search of Warrick, a male correctional officer found a baggie containing 12 grams of a white powdery substance which Warrick produced from his rectum. The substances were tested and believed to be cocaine and fentanyl.

43-year-old Benjamin Theodore Taylor of Lee Braswell Road is charged with theft of property over $1,000. His bond is $7,000 and he will make a court appearance January 12.

Sheriff Ray said that on November 3 Taylor allegedly stole a 2000 Mercury MGL valued at $3,500. The case was investigated by a detective.

30-year-old Tavisha Juanita Hall of Midway Road is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. She was also issued a citation for simple possession of a schedule IV drug (alprazolam) Her bond is $50,000 and she will be in court January 12.

Sheriff Ray said that on December 29 a deputy pulled over a Chevy Caprice due to a suspended registration and spoke with the driver, Hall. After obtaining consent to search, the officer found inside a backpack on the driver seat a clear baggie containing 1.49 grams of white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine and 13 pills thought to be alprazolam.

23-year-old Roneisha La Shell Allen of Murfreesboro is charged with violating bond conditions. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court January 26.

Sheriff Ray said that on January 1 a deputy pulled over a white Ford Fusion driven by Allen with a female passenger. A background check revealed that Allen was under active bond conditions to keep away from the woman found with her.

36-year-old Adam Daniel Taylor of Pine Grove Road is charged with aggravated assault and violating an order of protection. His bond is $15,000 and he will make a court appearance January 18.

Sheriff Ray said that on January 1 a deputy was summoned to the residence on Pine Grove Road due to a report of a domestic incident. The officer learned from Taylor’s girlfriend that she found Taylor in the shower of the home upon her arrival and that the two got into an argument which became physical as Taylor threw a bag at her and then smacked her in the face knocking her to the floor. Taylor then left the home on foot. He was under active bond conditions to keep away from this woman at the time.

January 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County Road Supervisor Danny Hale has announced that the County Highway Department will be closed all day Tuesday, January 3 due to the death of former employee Charlie Mae Maxwell, who served the department for 26 years. The funeral for Maxwell will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel.

January 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Mayor and Aldermen have taken the first step to make changes to the city charter and personnel policy in the procedures for the employment of department heads, officers, and other employees.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the aldermen adopted a resolution asking State Senator Janice Bowling and State Representative Michael Hale to introduce legislation in the state house and senate to amend the city charter. The aldermen also approved an ordinance on first reading to amend the city’s personnel policy to make it consistent with the charter changes. Ratification of the charter amendments and second and final reading action on amending the personnel policy by the Aldermen will come later this year after the legislature acts on the proposed charter amendments.

John Grubbs, Human Resource Consultant and Warren Nevad, Municipal Management Consultant of the Municipal Technical Advisory Service met with the mayor and aldermen during a work session in November to suggest that changes be made.

Currently, the city charter prohibits anyone from holding city office or employment for a period of ten years after final conviction of malfeasance or misfeasance in office, a felony, or a crime involving moral turpitude.

If amended as recommended by MTAS, the charter would prohibit only someone convicted from holding office in the city for a period of ten years. It would no longer apply to an employee.

Grubbs explained his reasons for the proposed change during the November workshop.

“The reason we are removing employees from that provision is because you need to look at how long it has been (since the offense), the nature of the crime, and the nature of the job. Let’s say I applied for a job as a garbage collector at the City of Smithville but eight years ago I had a small drug charge which may have been an e-felony then that would now be considered a misdemeanor. I have a felony on my record. The offense is not job related to exclude that person from being able to work if he or she can do the job and it wouldn’t create risk to the city. The current provision is over broad so I am recommending that you allow employees (in certain cases) to apply and be employed. Clearly you wouldn’t want to put someone in as a finance director who was convicted of malfeasance, misfeasance, or fraud even twenty years ago. We’ll put in the personnel policy that you look at the crime, the nature of the crime, and how long it has been since the conviction, and the job they are doing and then make a decision (on their employment),” said Grubbs.

If approved the city charter would also be amended to specify that by a simple majority vote the Board of Aldermen has the authority to appoint, promote, transfer, demote, suspend, and remove officers(Officers of the city are the City Judge, City Attorney, City Recorder and Treasurer, and City Administrator) and department heads but that the Mayor and or City Administrator , without a vote by the aldermen, would be authorized to appoint, promote, transfer, suspend, demote, and remove all other city employees. No employee terminated by either the board or mayor/city administrator would be afforded an appeal at the city level under the proposed city charter amendments as had been the case in the past.

“The Board hires and fires department heads including the police chief, fire chief, and public works director as well as the city administrator which is an officer and then the mayor and or city administrator as designated by the board to do so by ordinance and the personnel policy can hire, fire, suspend and manage employees. For example when you (city) hire a sanitation worker you (aldermen) don’t have to have a vote. Other than that in regard to personnel actions, the board’s job is to legislate and to adopt personnel rules and regulations and then let the mayor and city administrator manage it except for the hiring and firing of department heads which is the board’s responsibility. What I am recommending is that you (board) divest yourself from all the minutiae of overseeing who is hired as a garbage collector or police officer, etc and you (aldermen) hire the department heads because they are higher level positions,” said Grubbs.

In other business, the aldermen adopted a rezoning ordinance on second and final reading changing from residential to commercial property belonging to Jerry Hutchins at the corner of South College Street and East Bryant Street. A public hearing was held prior to the vote but no one from the public showed up to oppose the request.

The aldermen also postponed action on the purchase of a security camera system at Green Brook Park.

Mayor Josh Miller said at the December meeting that Green Brook Park has come under attack by vandals in recent years and security cameras are needed there to record activity of that kind at the park. He also commended Smithville Electric System for adding more streetlights in the park.

Quotes have been obtained from two companies interested in selling a security camera system package to the city including one from Holmes Surveillance, LLC for $8,596 and DTC Communications for $9,536.

Two of the aldermen, Beth Chandler and Danny Washer wanted more time to consider the proposals before taking action. The issue will be decided at the next meeting in February.

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