Two Charged in Rash of Local Storage Unit Burglaries and Thefts

February 28, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A Byrdstown man and Smithville woman believed to have been responsible for a recent rash of burglaries and thefts from a Nashville Highway storage unit business in DeKalb County have been arrested after an investigation by a Sheriff’s Department Detective.

24-year-old Nicholas Braedan Booher and 23-year-old Jessie Danielle Murphy of Fisher Avenue, Smithville are each charged with five counts of burglary and five counts of property theft. His bond totals $135,000 while the bond for Murphy totals $90,000. They will make a court appearance on March 9.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on January 5 and February 17 Booher and Murphy broke into and stole items from several storage units being rented by a total of five victims.

In each case, Sheriff Ray explained what was stolen as follows:

*January 5, a storage unit was broken into, and items stolen included several tools, a 40-inch Smart television, plates and antique chairs. The total value of the property is $1,650.

*February 17, a storage unit was broken into, and items stolen included a black safe, a wedding band with diamonds, four silver bars, and a golden class ring. The total value of the property is $4,430.

* February 17, a storage unit was broken into, and items stolen included two firearms, assorted currency, jewelry, clothes, and other assorted items. The total value of the property is $4,100.

*February 17, a storage unit was broken into, and items stolen included three Easter baskets with content, a Halloween basket, and a master lock. The total value of the property is $95.

*February 17, a storage unit was broken into, and items stolen included a green air compressor and a master lock. The total value of the property is $500.

Two people were arrested during a routine traffic stop by the sheriff’s department last week.

28-year-old Raymond Marcelle Marks of Village Place, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license and criminal impersonation. He was also issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

33-year-old Nikki Leigh Harris of South College Street, Smithville was also charged with criminal impersonation.

Bond for Marks is $8,500 and Harris’ bond is $5,000. Both will appear in court March 2.

Sheriff Ray said that on February 22 a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 Gold Dodge Ram on West Main Street, Smithville and spoke with the driver, Marks who identified himself as Juan Marks and said that his date of birth was February 2, 1992. Marks later gave his true identity and date of birth which is June 2, 1994. A background check through central dispatch revealed that Marks’ driver license was revoked for a prior driving under the influence offense. Marks also consented to a search of his vehicle and found inside were numerous glass pipes, scales, and straws.

Harris, who was a passenger in the vehicle with Marks, was asked to give her name which she said was Gina White and that her date of birth was May 5, 1984. She later gave her true identity and said that she was actually born on June 27, 1989.

37-year-old Eric Wayne Tramel of Andrew Street, Smithville and 34-year-old Anthony Wayne Tramel of Oakley Road, Liberty are each charged with resisting arrest. They are each under a $5,000 bond and will appear in court March 9.

Sheriff Ray said that on February 23 a deputy responded to a possible burglary in progress and upon arrival was told by witnesses that the two suspects fled into the woods. The officer gave chase, but they refused to heed verbal commands to stop. Both Eric and Anthony Tramel were subsequently taken into custody after a short foot chase.

38-year-old Brandon Dewayne Tucker of Northwest Broad Street, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. He is under a $3,500 bond and his court date is March 16.

Sheriff Ray said that on February 25 a deputy spotted a white Ford F-150 traveling east on West Broad Street driven by Tucker. Knowing that Tucker’s license were revoked he initiated a traffic stop. A computer check confirmed that Tucker’s license were revoked for failure to comply with financial responsibility  on March 21, 2019. Tucker had previously been cited twice and arrested once within the last month for the same offense of driving on a revoked license. He was placed under arrest again.

55 year old Buddy Gene Williams of Academy Avenue, Alexandria is charged with filing a false report. His bond is $15,000 and he will make a court appearance on March 16.

Sheriff Ray said that on February 25 Williams intentionally reported an emergency prompting a response from the sheriff’s department knowing that the report was baseless. On that day the department received a phone call from a man stating he needed to speak with central dispatch. After the call was relayed to DeKalb E911 Williams falsely reported that a physical altercation was taking place at a residence on Academy Avenue and that a man there had a gun. Two deputies responded emergency traffic due to the perceived threat of life from the report. The officers spoke with the occupants of the residence who had been asleep prior to their arrival and found no such incident occurring there as had been reported. A further investigation revealed that several previous calls had been placed from Williams’ phone and that on at least one occasion he identified himself during the call. Authorities suspect the false calls from Williams was an attempt to disturb the residents while creating a false report of an emergency to get a response from the sheriff’s department.

February 28, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County Commissioners may now have access to enrollment in the county’s health insurance group plan.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the commission voted itself that opportunity on a 12-2 vote. Commissioners Jeff Barnes and Glynn Merriman voted against it. Those voting in favor were Daniel Cripps, Tom Chandler, Myron Rhody, Sabrina Farler, Tony Luna, Susannah Cripps Daughtry, Greg Matthews, Tony (Cully) Culwell, Larry Green, Justin Adcock, Tim Reynolds, and Beth Pafford.

The county’s health insurance group plan is currently offered to full time employees and the county contributes $450 per month as a benefit to them partly to help meet mandates of the federal Affordable Care Act. Under the law, the lowest paid full-time county employee cannot pay more than 9.565% of their salary for insurance.

Unlike county employees, county commissioners who enroll in the plan would have to pay for their part of the coverage entirely out of pocket with no contribution to them from the county until at least after the next election cycle in 2026.

The county currently pays each County Commissioner $150 to attend monthly commission meetings and $75 per committee meeting to which they are assigned. According to County Mayor Matt Adcock, the commissioners cannot receive any extra remuneration from the county during their current terms of office which ends August 31, 2026.

“This motion tonight is allowing a county commissioner to apply for enrollment in the plan and they could do it now but they (commissioners) would have to pay the full premium. We (county) would not be able to contribute the $450 toward it like we would a normal employee because that is part of their contribution. We would have to wait until after the next election cycle (to include contributions to county commissioners),” said County Mayor Adcock.

The question becomes would the county be on the hook for any county commissioner enrolled in the group plan who failed to pay his or her premiums?

“When I spoke with our HR representative, she said when an employee takes our insurance plan they can’t drop it until the following October when open enrollment begins again. The only way it could be dropped is if they are terminated or no longer employed by the county. Once you (county commissioners) were elected you became kind of like a county employee almost so you would have to quit being a commissioner to get rid of the insurance. The reason it works for an employee is because of the payroll deduction for insurance. We don’t have to worry about an employee paying (premiums) because we (county) take it out of their check for them. There is no risk of them not paying. But your (county commissioners) checks are so small we can’t do payroll deduction for insurance because it would be more than you make so there is a possibility the county would have to pay it (unpaid premiums) because we can’t drop it (insurance until open enrollment) if you don’t pay it. We have to or we get fined,” said County Mayor Adcock.

“I spoke with Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and he said some of the board of education members already have access (to the school systems group health insurance plan) and they pay premiums to him. They bring them in by a certain time of the month. That’s how they do it. He (Cripps) said there were some allowances for direct pay and things like that and his understanding was that the Board of Education wasn’t responsible if they (school board members) don’t pay their premiums. There is just a 30-day grace period, and they are then cancelled from the plan (if they don’t pay). I am seeking information from the benefits administrator for the plan to find out exactly how that works so that we make sure we don’t put any liability on the county if someone (county commissioner) does wish to have access and participate in the plan,” said Commissioner Susannah Cripps Daughtry.

February 27, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A Sunday drive through town for two men turned violent over the weekend when the passenger, 20-year-old Kobe Keelan Ray Cantrell of McEwen, pulled a gun on the driver forcing him at gunpoint into the back seat as he (Cantrell) took control of the vehicle, a 2000 Chevy Blazer. After Smithville Police were notified, the vehicle was spotted and stopped at Shiny Rock Market where Cantrell was placed under arrest. Police also found a handbag in the Blazer that contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb but an examination by the THP Bomb Squad revealed that the device was made with road flares and not dynamite.

No one was injured in the incident, but Cantrell has been charged with aggravated kidnapping along with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon (2 counts), driving on a suspended license, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $76,500 and he will make an appearance in General Sessions Court on Thursday, March 2.

The two men apparently knew each other but the motive for the incident has not been determined.

The following is a narrative by Patrolman Lane Ball as to how the case unfolded.

“On Sunday, February 26 at approximately 11:56 a.m. central dispatch requested that I call them about an incident. Dispatch informed me that they received a call about a possible kidnapping. Kobe Cantrell had supposedly kidnapped a man at gunpoint, and they were in a gold 2000 model Chevrolet Blazer”.

“I (Patrolman Ball) then contacted the caller, who stated she was the victim’s niece. She said her uncle had been texting her about the incident (from the back seat of the vehicle) saying that Cantrell had kidnapped him and that he (Cantrell) had a gun. The victim instructed his niece to call the Smithville Police Department to let them know. The victim could only tell his niece that they were somewhere in Smithville and that he could not make the phone call for help himself”.

“I (Patrolman Ball) then (spotted) a vehicle matching the description of the Chevy Blazer at South Congress Boulevard and Jennings Lane heading south. The tag information revealed that the vehicle was registered to the victim. I notified central dispatch that I was about to attempt to stop the vehicle at Shiny Rock Market,” the narrative continued.

“After I initiated my blue lights, the vehicle pulled into a gas pump at Shiny Rock Market. The driver (Cantrell) opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. I pulled my sidearm into the low ready position and asked him to sit back down. He did not immediately sit down. I then asked him to turn around and walk backwards toward me. He then began to reach around in the vehicle and in his pants. I yelled at him to keep his hands where I could see them. (Off duty detective Mason Merriman of the Sheriff’s Department) who just happened to be in the parking lot at the time of the traffic stop stepped close to me and began to yell at him (Cantrell) to put his hands on the car, The driver (Cantrell) did not comply and appeared to begin to enter the vehicle. Detective Merriman and I approached him and used soft hand techniques to get him on the ground and into handcuffs. I holstered my sidearm before the altercation. We then brought him (Cantrell) back to my car where detective Merriman recovered a loaded .38 special revolver from his waistband,” wrote Patrolman Ball in the narrative.

“I (Patrolman Ball) then spoke to the victim who confirmed that Cantrell had held him against his will. The victim further stated that while he had earlier allowed Cantrell to drive the Blazer, he (Cantrell) later refused to turn over the keys saying he was going to drive from “now on”. The victim said he knew Cantrell had a gun and that he (Cantrell) had pulled the weapon on him two or three weeks ago. The victim added that he was afraid Cantrell might harm him if he tried to leave the vehicle or call for help (during the incident)”.

“The victim later gave consent for police to search his Blazer. During the search, I (Patrolman Ball) was looking through a red and black handbag that was located behind the driver seat. The bag contained an ID and some bank cards belonging to Cantrell. The bag also contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb. The device consisted of two red cylinders resembling dynamite with a cordless drill battery and some wires attached to them. Detective Merriman contacted THP about the possible bomb. THP’s bomb squad responded. While waiting on THP, I read Cantrell his Miranda rights. After an x-ray and inspection, the device was determined to have been made with road flares and not dynamite. THP spoke with Cantrell about the device. Cantrell said that it was just a project that he had been working on to show people. He stated it was made with flares,” the narrative continued.

“Cantrell was then transported to the Police Department. Smithville Police Lieutenant Detective James Cornelius interviewed both the victim and Cantrell at the police station (and then charged him in the case). It was determined through NCIC (National Crime Information Center) that Cantrell did not have a criminal history other than a suspended driver license,” the report concluded.

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