Three Sentenced in “Operation Ice Pick” Meth Trafficking Investigation

January 22, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Three people indicted last summer in a major methamphetamine trafficking operation called “Operation Ice Pick” were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Wednesday, January 18.

32-year-old Tara R. Treadway of Smithville, charged with two counts of meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy entered a plea to conspiracy to possess in excess of 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received a 10-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Corrections to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. The second count has been dismissed. The term is to run consecutively to a White County Criminal Court case against her and concurrently with a Cumberland County case. She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 189 days.

30-year-old Phillip Joe Potter of Roy Webb Road, McMinnville, charged with two counts of meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy entered a plea to conspiracy to possess over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received an 8-year suspended sentence to run concurrently with a Warren County case against him. He must forfeit any property seized by the investigating agency. Potter was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 147 days.

45-year-old Amy L. Hall of New Hope Road, Alexandria, charged with two counts of meth 300 grams or more – conspiracy entered a plea to conspiracy to sell over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received an 8-year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation with release eligibility of 30%. She was fined $2,000.

Treadway, Potter, and Hall were among nine people indicted in a special session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury in June 2022 charging them with conspiracy to sell and deliver more than 300 grams of methamphetamine following an eight month long undercover investigation started by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department into a major local drug trafficking operation.

The TBI and other agencies later joined the sheriff’s department in the probe from February to October 2021 called “Operation Ice Pick” in which drug buys were made through confidential informants.

Meanwhile, another man charged in a separate drug investigation was also sentenced Wednesday.

54-year-old Dickie Ray Bain of Petty Road, Smithville entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug (Methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams for an offense committed in December 2020. He received an 11-year TDOC sentence to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility as a range one offender. Bain was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 324 days.

Bain was among several people named in grand jury sealed indictments in December 2021 following a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department undercover drug investigation over a two-year period (2020-21). Most of the charges involved the illegal sale of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin and other drugs.

59-year-old James Allison entered a plea to a second offense of driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days suspended after he served 45 days. He will lose his driver license for two years. Allison must also pay a $600 fine, attend DUI school, and undergo an alcohol and drug assessment.

49-year-old Marcie Alsobrooks entered a plea to reckless driving and received a sentence of five months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation.

In other cases, a Woodbury man charged with breaking into a garage and stealing a motorcycle on Tubb Street in Liberty in November 2019 was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Wednesday, January 18.

30-year-old Dustin Nichols entered a plea to burglary and received a two-year sentence to serve concurrently with a Cannon County TDOC sentence. He was given jail credit from November 27, 2019 to January 18, 2023.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on November 27, 2019 Nichols broke into a garage through a window and altered an ignition switch to a 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan before stealing the motorcycle. The bike was valued at $2,500 and damage to the ignition was over $1,000. A detective investigated the case.

24-year-old Deviyon Quawnyah Johnson-Griffin entered a plea to theft of property over $1,000 and criminal simulation. He received a two-year sentence in the theft case and one year for the criminal simulation to run consecutively for a total of three years but suspended to supervised probation. He was given jail credit from September 22, 2022 to January 18, 2023.

Sheriff Ray said that on September 22, 2022 this man tried to cash a forged check in the amount of $2,070.52, at Liberty State Bank in Liberty, from Cedar City RV. It was confirmed by the company that the check was forged. The case was investigated by a detective with the Sheriff’s Department with assistance from Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell.

38-year-old Tabatha Marie Batey entered a plea to fraudulent use of a credit/debit card and received a two-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation to run concurrently with CPS probation. She must make restitution of $3,631. Sheriff Ray said that from February 28 to March 14 Batey used someone else’s debit/credit card taking the amount of $3,613.

28-year-old Dustin Sullivan entered a best interest plea to burglary and received a sentence of two years suspended to TDOC supervised probation as a range one offender. He was given jail credit of 114 days.

January 22, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A regular Sunday morning religious program on WJLE is moving to a new time slot starting Sunday, January 22.

Jason Wheeley of the Old Fashion Missionary Baptist Broadcast, a 15-minute program which has been aired at 10 a.m. may now be heard at 6:45 a.m. following the local news broadcast.

WJLE is proud of our partner sponsors of religious programs each week and hopes you will tune in often and let them know you listen.

•Got A Minute?: 60 second message presented by the Smithville Church of Christ with Dan Gulley-Twice a day Monday-Friday each week (various times morning and around noon).

•Cross Connection sponsored by the Upper Helton Baptist Church featuring Jimmy Arms: Monday-Friday at 11:55 a.m. each week

•Morning Devotion: A 5-minute daily devotional by a different minister each week Monday-Saturday at 7:25 a.m.

The following are weekly sponsored Sunday programs:

*6:45 a.m.: Jason Wheeley with the Old Fashion Missionary Baptist Broadcast

•7:00 a.m.: Dusty Bradley of the Maple Grove #3 Missionary Baptist Church in Westmoreland

•7:30 a.m.: Amazing Facts: A 30-minute program featuring Joe Crews presented by the Smithville Seventh Day Adventist Church.

•8:00 a.m. Elder Ricky Arnold for the Mount View Primitive Baptist Church (The Firm Foundation)

•8:30 a.m. Outreach Baptist Church with Nathan Thomason (The Outreach Pulpit)

•9:00 a.m. The Keltonburg Missionary Baptist Church (Only Through the Blood)

•9:30 a.m. LOCAL NEWS

•9:35 a.m. Abram Edwards of the Calvary Baptist Church

•10:30 a.m. Bobby Thomason of the Covenant Baptist Church (Fountain of Faith Ministries)

•11:00 a.m. Worship Services from either the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian (Isaac Gray) or Smithville First United Methodist (David Lunsford) Churches

•12:00 NOON: LOCAL NEWS

*12:30 p.m.: House of Prayer with Zachariah Murphy

*1:00 p.m.: Truth that Transforms with Aaron Wright

•1:30 p.m. The Preaching Ministry of Toy Lawson of the People’s Pentecostal Church

•2:30 p.m. Billy Hale of the Christ Pentecostal Church of Brush Creek (The King is Coming)

•3:00 p.m. Prophet James Ferrell of the Church of Jesus Christ (The Word of the Lord)

•4:00 p.m. LOCAL NEWS

•4:15 p.m. Royce Curtis of the People’s Missionary Baptist Church

•6:05 p.m. Gospel music sponsored by Cantrell’s Furniture and Appliances

•9:05 p.m. LOCAL NEWS

Listen each week on WJLE AM 1480 and WJLE FM 101.7 and LIVE Streaming at www.wjle.com.

January 22, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A member of the Short Mountain Highway Station has won the DeKalb County Fire Department’s most coveted award.

Robert Sartin is the 2022 Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.

Sartin was honored Saturday night during the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department’s Annual Awards Program at the county complex auditorium. Wilson Bank & Trust was the headlining sponsor of the program.

(View Video of the Awards Program on the WJLE Facebook Page)
https://www.facebook.com/wjleradiosmithville

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dusty Johnson was recognized as the Liberty State Bank Officer of the Year and Bill Brown was selected to receive the DeKalb Funeral Chapel “Git R Done” Award. The DeKalb Telephone Cooperative (DTC) Rookie of the Year Award went to Anthony Scott and the Liberty Station repeated as the FirstBank Station of the Year award winner.

Sartin’s award was presented by Assistant County Fire Chief Anthony Boyd.

In making the presentation, Boyd said Sartin was selected from firefighters demonstrating excellence in training participation, incident response, and community service.

“For 2022, Robert made 100% of his monthly training, completed other outside training courses, and is among the most active in his incident responses. He always steps up to serve in any role needed. Whether it’s a work session, fire prevention/safety event, fundraiser, training, or fire call, you will see him there, but you will probably never hear him. Last year, he volunteered to transfer to another station to fill the vacancy of Station Commander,” said Assistant Fire Chief Boyd.

“As for community service, he frequently volunteers to help with fire prevention education events. He participated in the May 2022 Smoke Alarm Blitz where our department partnered with Red Cross to install over 500 smoke alarms in one day. He does not limit his interest to the department, he is an active member of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad. He always makes himself available to assist with fire prevention and education programs at schools, the Citizens’ Fire Academy, and other civic organizations,” Boyd continued.

“The DeKalb County Fire Department attempts to recognize firefighters who reflect a positive attitude of service to the department and our communities, and there’s absolutely no doubt Robert Sartin has earned the honor of being named our 2022 Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Firefighter of the Year,” said Assistant Fire Chief Boyd.

(Other stories from the awards program will be posted here later)

The following are Program Sponsors for the DeKalb County Fire Department Annual Awards Program:

• Twisted Oaks
• Center Hill Nursery
• B&B Emergency Equipment
• Middle TN Natural Gas Utility District
• Rockwall Farms
• Journey Financial Planning
• DeKalb County Insurance
• DeKalb Farm Bureau
• Smithville Bakery & Café
• Clyde Thomas Family Memorial
• WJLE Radio Station
• DeKalb Market
• Swallow Insurance Agency
• Sligo Marina
• S&B Designs
• FirstBank
• Turn Key Bail Bonding
• J&A Fence
• Center Hill Marina
• State Farm Insurance
• Mountain Harbour Property Owners Association
• Johnson Construction
• Gill Automotive
• Close & Paschal Realty & Auction
• Thomas DeKalb-Ascension

The following are Community Fire Station Sponsors: Four Seasons Community, Cookeville Boat Dock, Bill & Jane Gray, Bob Myracle, Estate Plus Home & Lawn Care, B&B Emergency Equipment, Tenneco (Brakes Division), McElroy Land Management, Bobby Sartin Family Memorial, Tenneco, Clyde Thomas Family Memorial, Sligo Marina, Smithville Lions Club, DeKalb Funeral Chapel, Smithville Bakery & Café, El Lago Mexican Restaurant, J&A Fence, Mountain Harbour Property Owner’s Association.

Banquet Table sponsors: Holmes Group, Kilgore’s Restaurant, St. Thomas DeKalb-Ascension, Fiddler’s Campground & Market, Liberty Stop & Buy, Dr. Starla Meigs, Davis Autobody, Dr. George Ivey, B&B Emergency Equipment

The following are other community partners: local Red Cross representatives, WJLE Radio Station, Smithville Review Newspaper, Tennessee Division of Forestry, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Center Hill). DeKalb County 911, Smithville/DeKalb County Rescue Squad, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County EMS, City of Smithville Fire Department,City of Alexandria Fire Department,Mayor Matt Adcock and his office staff, The DeKalb County Commission, Mayor Pam Redmon and the Dowelltown Board of Aldermen, and Mayor Audrey Martin and the Liberty Board of Aldermen.

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