Grand Jury Indicts Alexandria Businessman on Four Counts of Forgery

July 2, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

An Alexandria businessman charged in January with four counts of forgery has been indicted by the DeKalb County Grand Jury.

50-year-old Stein Edward Prichard of Brush Creek Road, Brush Creek, manager of Prichard’s Foods, was among 15 people indicted on various charges Monday on the first day of the new term of the grand jury. Others were named in three sealed indictments.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said in January that Prichard is accused of having altered checks of two store customers, changing the actual amounts to much higher amounts.

“People would come into the store and buy goods and would write a check and then he allegedly would change the amount of the check and run it through the bank and used the proceeds for his benefit,” said Sheriff Ray.

The grand jury indictments against Prichard are as follows:

Count 1: “On or about April 12, 2023 Prichard unlawfully and with intent to defraud (victim) of the sum of $5,199, pass a forged writing (check) to Prichard’s Foods which purported to be the act of another (victim) who did not authorize that act”

Count 2: “On or about March 30, 2023 Prichard unlawfully and with intent to defraud (same victim as count 1) of the sum of $3,247, pass a forged writing (check) to Prichard’s Foods which purported to be the act of another (victim) who did not authorize that act”

Count 3: “On or about April 11, 2023 Prichard unlawfully and with intent to defraud (same victim as counts 1&2) of the sum of $935, pass a forged writing (check) to Prichard’s Foods which purported to be the act of another (victim) who did not authorize that act”

Count 4: “On or about December 2, 2023 Prichard unlawfully and with intent to defraud (separate victim) of the sum of $6,205, pass a forged writing (check) to Prichard’s Foods which purported to be the act of another (victim) who did not authorize that act”

Prichard and all others indicted by the grand jury Monday will soon appear for arraignment in criminal court.

Others indicted by the grand jury Monday are as follows:

Johnny Erik Bain: aggravated assault (3 counts)

Paul Green Cantrell: possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia

Tonya Michelle Cantrell: simple possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia

Shadayda Storm Farris: introduction of contraband into a penal facility, identity theft and driving under the influence

Matthew David Fayette: tampering with evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia

Matthew Dewayne Griffith: vandalism over $2,500

Destiny Renea Grimes: driving under the influence, DUI per se, and vandalism under $1,000

John Allen Judkins, Jr.: driving under the influence

Chad Everette Knowles: possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver, evading arrest-vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a revoked license (2nd offense)

Kayla Rena Sanders: possession of drug paraphernalia

Jason Richard Skaroupka: possession of drug paraphernalia

Rachel Lynn Spurlock: possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia

Alvin Davis Warren: theft of property-shoplifting, theft of property over $2,500, and vandalism over $2,500

Sheila Ann Zaruba: aggravated assault

July 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A former law enforcement officer in DeKalb and other counties indicted in December 2022 on sex crimes involving a minor appeared for sentencing Monday, July 1 in Criminal Court.

41-year-old Dustin James Farris, indicted for solicitation of a minor by electronic means, sexual exploitation of a minor (2 counts), and sexual contact with a minor by an authority figure, entered a plea to the following: criminal attempt for solicitation of a minor (1 count) and 2 counts of sexual exposure of a minor. Farris received a total sentence of 5 years to serve at 100% as a range 1 offender and he must register as a sexual offender. Farris must have no contact with the victim in this case. He was fined a total of $600.

A special called session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury met in December 2022, heard testimony against Farris, and found probable cause to indict him. A sealed indictment was returned against Farris at that time by the Grand Jury.

Farris’ latest employment at the time of the indictment was with the Overton County Sheriff’s Department where he served as a School Resource Officer. He had also formerly been employed as an officer in recent years by the DeKalb, White, Putnam, and Cannon County Sheriff’s Departments as well as a Child Support Investigator in the 13th Judicial District.

Count 1 of the indictment alleged that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris did unlawfully by means of oral, written, or electronic communication, electronic mail or Internet service, including webcam communications, directly or through another, to intentionally command, hire, persuade, induce, or cause a minor to engage in simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or in sexual activity, where such simulated sexual activity or sexual activity is observed by that person or another and that Farris is 18 years of age or older (than the victim)”

Counts 2 & 3 of the indictment alleged that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris did unlawfully display to a minor, or expose a minor to, any material containing simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or sexual activity if the purpose of the display can reasonably be construed as being for the sexual arousal or gratification of the minor or the person displaying the material”.

Count 4 of the indictment alleged that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor when the defendant at the time of the offense was in a position of trust or had supervisory or disciplinary power over the minor by virtue of the defendant’s legal, professional, or occupational status and used the position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual contact. The defendant intentionally touched or kissed the minor’s lips with the defendant’s lips and such touching can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification”.

July 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Nineteen months after being awarded a state $934,000 grant to put down sidewalks on Highway 70 east, the City of Smithville is going to try for another grant in the amount of $1.1 million for sidewalk extensions on South Congress Boulevard (Highway 56) to the city limits.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the aldermen authorized an application for a Tennessee Department of Transportation Multimodal Access Grant at the request of Mayor Josh Miller as well as a commitment of $60,000 for the local match should the grant be funded.

“This grant would be to put down sidewalks on Highway 56,” said Mayor Miller. “When they (TDOT) put the new road in (South Congress Boulevard) they put sidewalks up to the Pentecostal Church. We can apply to take those sidewalks on out to the city limits. This grant is a little more than $1.1 million and our portion (grant match) would be $60,000. We may not get the whole $1.1 million, or we may not get anything, but we should apply,” said Mayor Miller.

“Some people may ask why we can’t do this for city streets. A Multimodal grant has to be connected to a state highway in some form either by a crosswalk, sidewalks, or something of that nature,” Mayor Miller explained.

Although no sidewalk installation has yet been done on Highway 70 east from Multimodal grant awarded in November 2022, Mayor Miller said the project is on the way and may start by September.

“In 2022 we were awarded a Multimodal Access Grant that was a little over $900,000 ($934,000) to put sidewalks in on Sparta Highway,” said Mayor Miller. “Our portion (grant match) was $47,000. We have just paid a little bit of that fee so far. This is a state project. They are handling it but as you’ll see there are no sidewalks on Sparta Highway yet, but we are on the state’s timeline. We have been awarded that so hopefully it will start very soon. I think they plan to start ramping things up about September,” added Mayor Miller.

Under the 2022 Multimodal grant already approved, plans are to put down sidewalks on Highway 70 east from near the intersection of Highway 56 (South Congress Boulevard) and to install high visibility crosswalks and ADA compliant curb ramps in the areas where Highway 70 intersects with Bright Hill Road and Colvert Lake Road. The total cost is $934,000 but thanks to the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Access Grant, the city will receive $887,000 for this project with a local grant match of $47,000.

Meanwhile, the aldermen adopted on second and final reading Monday night an ordinance to rezone property belonging to owner/developer Matt Stanley at Juniper Lane and Bell Street from R-1 (Low Density) Residential to R-2 (High Density) Residential as requested by Stanley. According to city officials, Stanley plans to develop a subdivision there.

Last month, City administrator Hunter Hendrixson said Stanley’s property with the R-1 zoning already qualifies for a subdivision. “I believe he is asking for the R-2 zoning to squeeze in a few more lots so its already going to be a subdivision. The Smithville Planning Commission’s recommendation was for this property to be rezoned from R-1 to R-2,” said Hendrixson.

According to the city’s zoning ordinance, the minimum lot area for a single-family dwelling in R-1 is 10,000 square feet and for R-2 its 7,500 square feet.

In other business the aldermen adopted on second and final reading following a public hearing an ordinance to rezone a portion of property on Kendra Drive belonging to Chris Allen from I-1 (Light Industrial) to R-2 (High Density) Residential as requested by Allen. No one showed up to comment during the public hearing.

City Administrator Hendrixson addressed Allen’s request during last month’s meeting.

“I gave you (aldermen) a printout of where the old Georgia Girl factory is,” said Hendrixson. “This is not on the Miller Road side but Kendra Drive. He (Allen) has requested, and the Smithville Planning Commission has recommended to the city council along with our planner Tommy Lee to rezone a small section from I-1 (Light Industrial) to R-2 (High Density) Residential to do an apartment or duplex, etc. but its only for a small part of the property,” said Hendrixson.

Mayor Miller announced that he and the aldermen will have a workshop followed by a special called meeting after the city planning commission next Monday, July 8 at city hall.

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