December 3, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A woman believed to have been responsible for a fire in the Jefferson Community last fall appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, November 27.
39-year-old Scarlett Suzette Lawrence Strayn entered a plea to arson and received a three-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. The sentence is to run consecutively with a Warren County sentence against her. Strayn was given jail credit of 62 days. She will be making restitution in an amount to be determined.
The indictments alleged that on November 7, 2022 Strayn unlawfully and knowingly damaged a structure as well as personal property, land, or other property belonging to Jermaica League by means of a fire or explosion without the consent of all persons who had a possessory, proprietary, or security interest therein in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law).
Members of the DeKalb County Fire Department were dispatched at 2:32 a.m. on November 7, 2022 to a single wide mobile home on South Judkins Lane in the Jefferson Community where the residence and a bass boat were reportedly on fire.
“Upon arrival firefighters found the mobile home with heavy fire showing through the roof on one end of the residence in the bedroom area. The bass boat also had heavy fire in the engine and fuel tank areas. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire containing the blaze to the bedroom of the mobile home. The remainder of the residence received extensive heat and smoke damage. Two caged dogs perished inside the home. The boat was extensively damaged by the fire,” said DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green.
No one was injured and no other nearby properties were damaged. The incident was investigated by DeKalb Sheriff’s Department detectives and the TBI.
The Keltonburg, Belk, Blue Springs, Four Seasons, Short Mountain Highway, and Main Stations responded along with the tanker, DeKalb EMS, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
26-year-old Tanisha Danielle Bandy entered a plea to two counts of simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to run consecutively but suspended to supervised probation. She was fined a total of $500.
50-year-old Shirley Hardy entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver and received a three-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation on judicial diversion
50-year-old Anthony Brian Johnson entered a plea to sale of a schedule IV drug and received a two-year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation under judicial diversion.
45-year-old Charles McCurry entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams for sale or delivery and received a three-year sentence all suspended but to run consecutive to a White County case against him. He was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 33 days.
41-year-old Lacy Lee West entered a plea to a first offense of driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended except for 48 hours to serve. She will be on supervised probation and will lose her driver license for a year. West was fined $350, and she must complete an alcohol safety education program and attend the MADD Victim Impact Panel.
74-year-old Antonio Lujan entered a plea to simple possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation except for 30 days to serve. The term is to run concurrently with a White County case against him. He was given jail credit for one month.