Undercover Drug Investigation Nets Grand Jury Indictments Against 23 People

June 10, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

An undercover drug investigation conducted jointly by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s and Smithville Police Departments that spanned several months has culminated in sealed indictments against 23 people.

The indictments were returned by the regular term of the grand jury last Tuesday, June 2 and officers of both departments spent Tuesday and Wednesday this week rounding up 17 of them. Six more remain to be arrested. All are to be arraigned in DeKalb County Criminal Court on July 14.

Sheriff Patrick Ray and Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins, in a joint statement released Wednesday, said the investigation involved the sale of methamphetamine, oxycodone, suboxone, heroin, and hydrocodone. The majority of the cases were made by the sheriff’s department. In one case, officers found 15 marijuana plants while serving indictments against a couple of defendants resulting in further charges against them. Special thanks to Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell and his staff from the Alexandria Police Department who assisted the sheriff’s department in making one drug buy.

Sheriff Ray and Chief Collins said the joint investigation between the two law enforcement departments worked well and they hope to have more ventures of this kind in the future.

“I appreciate what Chief Collins and his guys have done during this investigation. They put in a lot of long hours. Hopefully this is one of many we will do in conjunction with each other,” said Sheriff Ray.

“We could not have done this without the help of the sheriff’s department. When you can combine the resources of two law enforcement departments like this you can get great things done. I want to thank the detectives of both agencies because they worked long hours and got this done. I also want to thank Sheriff Ray and his department for allowing us to be part of it. We look forward to working with them again in the future, ” said Chief Collins.

Original plans were to present the cases for indictment during the regular term of the grand jury in April but the COVID-19 pandemic intervened forcing the courts to shut down. Because inmate population is still somewhat limited due to social distancing practices, only a few of the drug defendants could be brought in at a time for booking.

“This is probably the most unique round up I have been part of in my 30 years of law enforcement. We have had to pace ourselves doing the pickups to keep from overloading the booking area and quarantine cells and I want to thank our correctional officers because its been an especially challenging process for them. We would pick up a few of these drug defendants and then take a pause to give them time to post bond or be moved into the quarantine cells if they couldn’t make bond. Inmates tested for COVID-19 have to be quarantined. Recent test results on other inmates have all come back negative,” said Sheriff Ray

Defendants in this week’s drug round up and their charges are as follows:

*54 year old Mark Gregory Brock of Webb Lane, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) $5,000 bond

*47 year old April Lynn Coronado of AB Frazier Road, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (hydrocodone) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*51 year old Dorothy Renee Crowell of Redmon Road, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (hydrocodone) 2 counts- $10,000 bond

*38 year old Sherri Francine Gunter of Jacobs Pillar Road, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $10,000 bond

*42 year old James Allen Hesson of Oak Drive, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*46 year old Glen Ray Jones of Hurricane Ridge Road, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*59 year old Larry Estil Lattimore of Robinson Road, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*41 year old Sabrina Lattimore of Judkins Lane, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (oxycodone and hydrocodone) 2 counts- $7,500 bond

*46 year old Charlotte Elaine Malone, Sparta Highway: sale and delivery of a schedule III drug (suboxone) 2 counts. During the arrest, officers found 15 marijuana plants growing on the premises and charged Malone with manufacturing a schedule VI drug (marijuana). Her court date on the marijuana charge is July 2. Bond $8,500

*43 year old Crystal Gail Malone of Sparta Highway (co-defendant with Charlotte Malone): sale and delivery of a schedule III drug (suboxone) 4 counts. During the arrest, officers found 15 marijuana plants growing on the premises and charged Malone with manufacturing a schedule VI drug (marijuana). Her court date on the marijuana charge is July 2. Bond $13,500.

*53 year old Teresa Darlene Mayo of Walker Lane, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*39 year old Michael Chad Owens of Shady Drive, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule I drug in a drug free zone (heroin) and sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine)- $15,000 bond.

*46 year old Donald Hugh Pack of Adams Street, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (hydrocodone) 2 counts- $10,000 bond

*48 year old Marcus John Peregoy of Fleming Street, Alexandria: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*38 year old Carla Jean Ray of Nikki Lane, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (oxycodone) 2 counts- $5,000 bond

*40 year old Nelson Pack Redmon of Forrest Avenue, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) – $5,000 bond

*60 year old Ivan Martel Young of West Main Street, Smithville: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) 2 counts – $5,000 bond

Meanwhile another man at one of the drug defendants homes was arrested on an unrelated charge. 29 year old Robert Alexander Judkins of Baxter is charged with failure to appear. His bond is $2,000 and he will make a court date June 18

June 10, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The Vol Network will continue its weekly radio series this Saturday, June 13 called “Vol Network Classics”.

The aim is to give Tennessee fans the chance to relive some of the great moments and games from UT’s history. Each week through June a replay of a famous football or basketball game will be broadcast.

The Vol Network Classics show for this week will be the Tennessee football victory over Notre Dame at South Bend, Indiana on November 9, 1991. The broadcast will be dedicated to former Tennessee Coach Johnny Majors who passed away at the age of 85 last week and will feature Majors’ pre-game and post-game interviews on the Vol Network that day.

The Fighting Irish, ranked #5 , raced out to a 31-7 lead late in the first half before Tennessee, ranked #13, blocked a field goal and ran it back for a touchdown as the half expired to cut the lead to 31-14.

In the second half Tennessee completed one of the greatest comebacks in school history when running back Aaron Hayden scored on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Andy Kelly to put the Vols up 35-34 with 4:03 left in the game.

Notre Dame drove for the game-winning field goal but defensive back Jeremy Lincoln famously blocked the 27-yard field goal attempt with his backside to preserve the victory.

Catch the replay Saturday, June 13 at 1:00 p.m. on WJLE AM 1480/ FM 101.7 and the Vol Network.

June 9, 2020
By:

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce recently received a Tourism Marketing Grant from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for 5,000 new DeKalb County Welcome, Resource, and Tourism Guides. The guides include descriptive information and scenic pictures promoting DeKalb’s local beauty, Center Hill Lake, Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree, Off the Beaten Path Artist Tour, & other major events, Appalachian Center for Craft, Edgar Evins State Park, DeKalb Farmers’ Market, lodging info, marinas, golf courses, wedding venues, conference facilities, local businesses, and annual events. The guide also contains resource numbers, welcome messages from officials, demographics, and newcomer and visitor information.

“The Resource Guides will target vacation & day-tripper tourists, Center Hill Lake & Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Craft Festival visitors, golfers, artists, hikers/nature lovers, folks looking for the perfect wedding destination or conference location, as well as our own residents to promote local businesses, special events, & activities,” says Chamber Director Suzanne Williams. “Since the grant had a 50% match, I am very grateful to the businesses that bought ad space to cover that extra cost.”

Guides will be distributed by way of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber, Smith County Welcome Center, Edgar Evins State Park, dekalbtn.org website, city/county offices, Stay and Play events, Upper Cumberland Tourism Association, local businesses, marinas, and requests made by phone, e-mail, or mail.

If any marinas, real estate offices, restaurants, and other local businesses would like copies to distribute, text 615-464-7760 for more information about pick-up or delivery.

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