Alexandria Police Make Five Drug Arrests Within Last Month

May 24, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The Alexandria Police Department has made five drug arrests within the last month while charges have been brought against two others for driving under the influence and one man is facing a forgery offense.

In his monthly crime report, Alexandria Police Chief Travis Bryant said that 28-year-old Katie Turner of Lower Helton Road, Alexandria is charged with possession of a schedule I drug (MDMA), simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana), possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia, and a violation of the light law. According to Chief Bryant, on April, 20 police stopped a vehicle on Brush Creek Highway for a light law violation. As the officer spoke with the driver, Turner, he detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A subsequent search turned up in the front center console a small baggie containing a white powdery substance believed to be MDMA along with several items consistent with the use of narcotics. A baggie of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana was found in Turner’s purse. Her bond was set at $25,000.

38-year-old Jennifer Johnson of Old Highway 53, Liberty is charged with manufacture, delivery, sale, or possession of a schedule IV drug (pills), a schedule II drug (methamphetamine), two counts of simple possession of a schedule IV drug, and a schedule V drug, driving in possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license. Chief Bryant said that on April 22, while investigating a suspicious vehicle on Brush Creek Highway, an officer spoke with Johnson at the scene. According to Chief Bryant, Johnson, stated that her license was suspended, and narcotics were in the vehicle. A search revealed approximately 5.15 grams of a white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, and other drugs believed to be the following: a baggie containing 29 pills (5mg Valium), a pill (10mg Valium), a pill (clonazepam), and two pills (gabapentin). Several items consistent with the sale, use, and delivery of narcotics were also found during the search. Johnson was unable to provide a prescription. Her bond was set at $37,500.

30-year-old Amber Gambill of Windham Drive Smithville is charged with a first offense of driving under the influence. Chief Bryant said that on May 5 police spotted a vehicle on Nashville Highway drive into the opposite lane and the grass on that side. The officer stopped the automobile, spoke with the driver Gambill, and detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. Gambill said she had been drinking but refused to submit to field sobriety tests. Her bond was set at $2,000.

52-year-old Larry House of New Hope Road, Alexandria is charged with a first offense of driving under the influence and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Chief Bryant said that on May 1, police stopped a vehicle for driving erratically within the city limits of Alexandria. The officer stopped the automobile, spoke with the driver House, and detected an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. House’s speech was slurred. After being asked to exit the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests, House came out with a firearm on him. House submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tests. His bond was set at $6,000.

53-year-old Steven Curtis of Upper Helton Road, Alexandria is charged with manufacture, delivery, sale, or possession of a schedule II drug (Oxycodone), simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Chief Bryant said that on May 8, police stopped Curtis on East Main Street for a traffic violation. During the stop the officer found a bottle containing 27 small blue pills believed to be Oxycodone and a small baggie weighing 11.19 grams of a green leafy substance thought to be marijuana. Several items consistent with the use of narcotics were also located. Bond for Curtis was set at $20,000.

59-year-old Michelle Curtis of Upper Helton Road, Alexandria is cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. Chief Bryant said that on May 8, Curtis was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by police for a traffic violation. As the officer spoke with her, he discovered Curtis to be in possession of items consistent with the use of narcotics. Curtis was issued a citation and will appear in court on May 24.

21-year-old Hunter Dodson of Shenandoah Trail, Lebanon is charged with manufacture, delivery, sale, and possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine), possession of a handgun during a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Chief Bryant said that on May 11 police stopped a vehicle for a speeding on Nashville Highway. While speaking with the driver, Dodson, the officer spotted in plain view drug paraphernalia in the back seat. He then searched the vehicle and recovered 2 grams of a white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine and a loaded Springfield 1911 handgun. During the encounter, Dodson admitted that he had been selling methamphetamine. Also found in the vehicle were other items consistent with the sale and delivery of narcotics. His bond is set at $41,500 and he will appear in court on May 30.

35-year-old Sarah Ferrell of Poplar Hill Road, Watertown is charged with manufacture, delivery, sale, and possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine). Chief Bryant said that on May 18, police stopped Ferrell for a traffic violation and while speaking with her, noticed on the floorboard, a cigarette case with a baggie protruding from it. When asked what the items were, Ferrell stated that it was her medication. As she pulled the medication bottle out, the officer observed Ferrell trying to push the baggie back inside the cigarette case. A search of the case revealed a baggie containing a white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $8,000 and she will appear in court on May 30.

23-year-old Nathan Dovell of Cookeville is charged with forgery. Chief Bryant said that on May 17, police were dispatched to Wilson Bank & Trust in Alexandria where, according to bank employees, Dovell had entered the bank with a forged check and had attempted to cash it. Police also learned from bank staff that Dovell had just cashed another check in the same amount at the Smithville bank location earlier that day. His bond was set at $10,000 and he will appear in court on May 30.

May 24, 2024
By: Bill Conger

DeKalb County’s non-profit mental health agency the Haven of Hope is expanding its services with a new program called “Finding Hope.” It’s Intensive Outpatient Therapy for people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction.

“We also have a dual component, which means that we will be addressing some mental health issues along with the alcohol and drug issue because a lot of times alcohol and drug addictions start because of mental health issues that an individual is trying to medicate,” explains Finding Hope’s Facilitator Tena Cope.

“The majority of the focus for “Finding Hope” is on not using again, learning to live a sober life,” Counselor Cope says. “Unfortunately, a majority of issues are underlying the addiction. There’s something that’s happened that’s changed the way they function. We won’t go deep into that, but they’ll learn mental health skills and learn different ways of thinking that may be contributing to their problems. If it’s real serious, that’s when we’re going to say you probably need some individual counseling.”

“For Recovery court and the community as a whole, it’s extremely important to have IOP here,” Case Manager for Recovery Court Darnell Gurley said. “I know for us we have a lot of issues with people being able to travel outside the county to attend IOP, so anything that is local that deals with co-occurring disorders as far as mental health and substance abuse is huge.”

Cope says while a huge need exists for this kind of help, a lot of people suffering from addiction don’t want to come on their own.

“They get some kind of ultimatum or are required from somebody,” Cope said. “For example, the person that maybe has not had any problems in society, their boss may see something. ‘You need to get help if you want to continue to work here.’ Or a husband or wife might say, ‘I’m fed up.’ So most people don’t come in because they realize I can’t do this on my own. It takes a little push from somewhere else.”

“We see a lot of people who are in trouble legally. The judge will say you need to go have an assessment done, trying to give them help without making them go to jail. Sometimes it’s referrals come from DCS, because they’ll realize part of the reason a report was made is because addiction around the children is involved.”

Possible candidates for the IOP program will undergo a psychosocial alcohol and drug assessment developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. The ASAM evaluates several areas including family dynamics, support systems, functioning in work or school, recovery environment interactions, substance use related risks, psychiatric/cognitive/biomedical conditions, intoxication, withdrawal and addiction medications. The scores from the report will determine the intensity of treatment needed beginning with Outpatient at Level 1, IOP at Level 2, Residential at Level 3 and Inpatient at Level 4.

The Finding Hope program begins on June 3. Up to 8 people can join the group for sessions that will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday each week from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at the Haven of Hope, located at 301 West Main Street. Those participating in the program are required to complete 20 sessions for a total of 60 hours. For more information, call the Haven of Hope office at 615-597-4673.

Statistically, Cope says it takes on average three times in treatment to overcome an addiction, but Intensive Outpatient Therapy is a major step in finding hope for a better tomorrow.

“If they complete, they’re more likely to either stay sober, or if they relapse, they know exactly what they need to do, and they’ll try to get back into a program,” Cope said. “Once they sit in the IOP, whether they’ve completed successfully or not, they learned something, and they can’t unlearn that. In the other IOP programs I’ve worked, some drop out or they have to be discharged for noncompliance, but they come right back because what they learned the first time is just a seed for the next time.”

May 23, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Strong to severe storms are in the forecast again for the next few days which has prompted local officials to encourage residents of Smithville and DeKalb County to be storm ready.

(Click link below to register for weather alerts)

Tornado Alert Signup

With Smithville already having been struck by an EF1 tornado this month, DeKalb Emergency Management Agency Director Charlie Parker is advising people to pay heed to storm alerts and if outdoors, listen for tornado sirens in Smithville during times of tornado warnings

from dwayne page on Vimeo.

The City of Smithville has three such tornado sirens including one on the water tower near the high school and outdoor athletic fields, another on the water tower on Miller Road near industries and residential areas, and a third siren atop the city hall building downtown. Each of them has a range of about a mile. There are no other tornado sirens anywhere else in DeKalb County.

What do those sirens mean? Who are they intended for?

According to EMA Director Parker, tornado sirens are meant to warn people outside to seek shelter inside immediately.

“If you’re outside and you hear those sirens, you know something’s up,” said Parker. “They’re not intended to reach you indoors. They’re specifically intended for people outdoors — if you’re outside your home, if you’re at a park,” explained Parker

For years, an activated tornado siren could have meant a tornado threat for anywhere in a specific county, but that blanket approach to alerts led to siren fatigue. As a result, weather experts created a new polygon model to be more accurate.

“A polygon means a smaller, more precise area of a warning, so they can now narrow it down to a specific neighborhood or street or things like that, so you may have a warning in a small neighborhood, a small part of Smithville, without affecting all of the city,” Parker said.

“Our tornado warning system located at the 911 center is activated through the National Weather Service. When they issue a warning for an area, it goes through a third party which sets off the warning siren system. Its all automated and not triggered locally,” he added

To enhance safety during times of severe weather, EMA Director Parker urges people in Smithville and DeKalb County to take advantage of another service called Hyper-Reach, a state-of-the-art mass emergency notification system, designed specifically for public safety. Through Hyper-Reach residents can get automatic tornado warning alerts over landline telephones or cell phones the moment they are issued for DeKalb County.

Landline phones are automatically registered but weather alerts to mobile phones are only included by enrolling in the system.

“This system will notify hundreds of people within a minute. It is very fast in the notification process, and I encourage everyone to sign up for this,” said Parker.

The service is free, and you may register for the weather alerts by visiting www.dekalb911.org and clicking the link.

“There is a link on the 911 website (dekalb 911.org) to click for a community weather alert sign up. It will allow you to register a cell phone. If you do have a home landline telephone your number is already registered by your house number in the system and you will automatically get the weather alerts without any further action from you. If you do not have home landline telephone service or if you want to register your cell phone in addition to your home landline phone you can go to the signup page and do that. It will make a phone call to you with a pre-recorded message and or it will also send you a text message or an email to notify you as well in the event there is a tornado warning that has been issued for the affected area,” said Parker.

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