Suspected Drug Dealer Convicted After Wednesday Jury Trial in DeKalb Criminal Court

May 18, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A suspected drug dealer indicted for possession of more than 300 grams of methamphetamine stemming from an April 2021 investigation was convicted by a DeKalb County Criminal Court jury after a day long trial Wednesday.

30-year-old Brandon Tylor Mulac is facing a possible sentence of up to 60 years as a career offender pending a sentencing hearing set for him on June 20 before Judge Wesley Bray.

The jury of seven women and five men found Mulac guilty of methamphetamine possession (300 grams or more) with intent to sell or deliver. Mulac was also fined $75,000. The jury found Mulac not guilty on a second charge of fentanyl possession with intent to sell or deliver.

Mulac was represented at trial by Smithville attorney Brad Hannah.

According to Greg Strong, Assistant District Attorney General, who spoke with WJLE after the trial, the DeKalb County charges against Mulac stemmed from a Smith County investigation where Mulac was found with drugs during a traffic stop in April 2021. Authorities there learned that Mulac had more drugs at a residence in Smithville and they contacted the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

“We received information from the Smith County Sheriff’s Department that they had found Mulac in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine during a traffic stop there. Through that investigation we learned that a large amount of methamphetamine could be found in a house here on South Mountain Street where we believe Mulac had been staying. We obtained a search warrant based on that information and did find a large amount of methamphetamine at that residence,” said Strong.

“A co-defendant with Mulac, Logan Sullivan was also charged with the same offenses that night because she was at the house when the search warrant was served. She is now deceased,” Strong said.

“After Mulac was charged in Smith County, we had him arrested on a grand jury pickup indictment in 2021. The Smith County case is still pending against him where he faces a Class-A felony,” Strong continued.

“We (prosecution) called six witnesses during the trial, all law enforcement officers and experts of the TBI crime lab. The defense called one witness who testified that Mulac did not live at the South Mountain Street residence where the meth was found but all the other information we had pointed to the fact that Mulac did live there. The defense also contended that we (prosecution) didn’t prove that Mulac was in possession of the meth,” said Strong.

Based on his criminal record, Strong said the DA’s office will seek the maximum punishment for Mulac.

“He has been convicted of a Class-A felony with a range of punishment from 25-60 years. We (prosecutors) have filed a notice that Mulac is a career offender (mostly for a history of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault offenses) which means if we can prove that (career offender status) at the sentencing hearing, he will be sentenced to 60 years and have to serve at least 60% of the term”.

“I want to thank the Smith County Sheriff’s Department and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department for building a good case to go forward with and the cooperation both agencies showed. They both participated in the search warrant and a big thanks goes to both of them,” said Assistant DA Strong.

May 18, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Fifth graders at Northside Elementary School graduated from the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in a ceremony Wednesday.

D.A.R.E. is a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department-led series of classroom lessons that teaches fifth graders in DeKalb County how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives. Joseph Carroll of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department is the D.A.R.E Officer instructor for the fifth-grade classes at Northside Elementary School.

The 10-week course identifies fundamental, basic skills and developmental processes needed for healthy development including: Self-awareness and management, Responsible decision making, Understanding others, Relationship and communication skills, and Handling responsibilities and challenges.

D.A.R.E. believes that if you can teach youth to make safe and responsible decisions, it will guide them to healthy choices, not only about drugs, but across all parts of their lives. As they grow to be responsible citizens, they will lead healthier and more productive drug-free lives.

As part of the course, students prepared essays on what they have learned from D.A.R.E. and a winner was selected from each fifth-grade class. The overall essay winner at Northside Elementary School was Ja’Braelin Harlan-Cox. In addition to other gifts, Ja’Braelin received a $50 Roblox gift card from General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox. Second place went to Aila Odom and Riley Scarbro received third place. Individual essay winners from each fifth-grade class were Ayla Bare, Kena Denton, Aubree Bruno, McCullan Bogle, Ana Pack, Priscila Rivera-Bazaldua, Kyler Perry, and Hayden Reed.

“I still remember the lessons I learned when I was a student in the D.A.R.E. program many years ago. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and your knowledge about these things today will give you the power to overcome and defeat those in the future,” said Judge Cox in his remarks to the D.A.R.E. graduates.

For the first time, Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin presented awards to students in an art contest held in conjunction with the D.A.R.E. program.

“I approached our D.A.R.E. officers this year and asked if we could have an art contest. I told them when I was a court reporter, I went to several different counties but the one that stood out was Wilson County because outside their courtroom they had some art from DARE students displayed there so I thought that was a good idea. They agreed so this year I have done a first, second, and third place and the art from these award winners will be displayed in my office at the courthouse for all your family to see,” said Martin.

Winners of the art contest were first place Lainey Dillard, second place Ellie Adkins, and third place Natalia Ferrell. Dillard also received a check for $50 from Martin.

In addition to Northside Elementary School Principal Karen Knowles, Assistant Principal Beth Pafford, and Guidance Counselor Linda Bush, Sheriff Patrick Ray welcomed special guests to the ceremony including State Representative Michael Hale, County Mayor Matt Adcock, Register of Deeds Daniel Seber, General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox, Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin, Trustee Sean Driver, Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell, Road Supervisor Danny Hale, Recovery Court Coordinator Kate Arnold, and Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.

May 17, 2023
By: Bill Conger

After 36 years in education, 6th grade teacher Tammy Payne has decided to retire at the end of this school year. She has called DeKalb West School home for 25 of those years.

Her impressive resume includes serving as Child Development Specialist at Tennessee Tech University from 1986-1992. In ’92 she moved to Nashville and taught at M.J.C.A. for five years (for 5 years (Kindergarten- 2, 1st Grade- 2, and Gifted and Talented for grades K-12- 1). She was also the High School Cheer and Competition Coach all 5 years.

Moving from Nashville to Alexandria in the fall of ’97, Mrs. Payne began teaching at DWS the following fall.

“I took over cheerleading in 2,000,” Payne remembers. “I have been so proud of all of my cheerleaders; they have a very special place in my heart. My students also have a special place in my heart; DWS students are the best; hopefully, I made a positive impact on a few.”

“This school has been my family away from my family, so it is so bittersweet to leave; so many memories have been made here. I have had the pleasure of working with many extraordinary teachers. And yes, I am so apprehensive about ending this chapter in my life and starting another. But, it is time (all good things must come to an end), and my mom needs me.”

Mrs. Payne plans to be as busy, if not more so, in her “retirement” years.

“I have many projects to complete: I must sell a house, renovate another house (good thing that I won an interior design contest in college), bush hog the fields, put up new fencing, get two donkeys and name them Hee and Haw, read many books, travel a little, and then learn Mandarin Chinese. After that, we will see where life takes me. So I will sign off.”

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