February 6, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
Three people were arrested at a Smithville residence last week after officers of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department found drugs while serving a warrant.
52 year old Dana Seborn Cantrell of 218 Jennings Lane, 46 year old Shirley Ann Hardy of Dadeville, Alabama, and 37 year old Crystal Michelle Baker are facing drug charges.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray a deputy went to Cantrell’s home on January 28 to serve a warrant on him. While there the officer obtained consent for a probation search of the home and found 38 white pills and a yellow capsule believed to be Gabapentin inside Cantrell’s bedroom. The search also turned up twenty five clear, blue, and yellow baggies and a digital scale. Eight blue pills believed to be xanax and a yellow pill thought to be oxydodone were also found.
Cantrell was charged with sale and delivery of a schedule V drug and he was cited for simple possession of schedule IV and II drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia (baggies).
Hardy is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver and cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
As the officer was conducting a search of Cantrell’s home he spoke with Hardy, who was there, and she produced from inside her pants two clear baggies which contained a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine which weighed a total of 1.9 grams. Hardy also had a black zippered pouch which contained a digital scale, a blue pill grinder, and four rounds of ammunition for a .38 caliber special.
Baker is facing charges of sale and delivery of a schedule V drug (Gabapentin) and a citation for simple possession of schedule II and IV drugs and drug paraphernalia. She was also at Cantrell’s home and while conducting a search, a deputy found belonging to Baker a bottle inside a bag containing 258 tan and yellow capsules (Gabapentin), one yellow pill (oxycodone), three pills (hydrocodone), one orange pill (aderol), one blue pill (diazepam), one blue pill (klonopin), and one blue pill (xanax). Inside her purse was a baggie containing a crystal like substance (methamphetamine) which weighed 0.5 grams. Baker also pulled from her chest area 1.3 grams of meth wrapped in paper. The search of Baker further yielded two digital scales, a marijuana grinder, and a cut straw.
Bond for Cantrell, Hardy, and Baker is $5,000 each and they will appear in General Sessions Court February 13.
55 year old Vincent Rodolphus Helser is charged with violation of the sex offender registry. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is February 13.
Although he was not charged as part of the drug bust at Cantrell’s home , Helser was arrested on January 28 after officers learned that Helser had been staying in a living room there. The reason for the arrest was because Helser had not registered as a sex offender since leaving the jail on state probation January 9 which is a violation of the sex offender registry law.
29 year old Randy James Wheeler of Chapman Hollow Road, Dowelltown is charged with being a fugitive from Justice. His bond is $10,000 and he will be in court February 13.
Sheriff Ray said that on January 24 Wheeler was booked into the Sheriff’s Department and during a background check through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) officers learned that Wheeler had warrants against him in Kansas. Authorities in Kansas plan to extradite Wheeler.
35 year old Joshua Ryan Cripps of Steeple Chase Drive, Smithville is charged with having contraband in a penal institution. Cripps’ bond is $5,000 bond and his court date is February 6.
Sheriff Ray said that on January 16 a correctional officer helping perform a shakedown in the jail annex cell found a xanax pill after searching the area around Cripps’ bed. The pill was under the top blanket.
67 year old Melvin Leon Crips, Sr. of Village Place, Smithville is charged with filing a false report. His court date is February 20.
Sheriff Ray said that on February 1 a deputy went to Crips’ home to serve a warrant but Crips told the officer the person he was looking for was not there. During a search, the person named in the warrant was found inside a kitchen dishwasher at the home.
51 year old Tammy Lynette Stringer of Church Street, Liberty is charged with sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine). Her court date is February 20.
Sheriff Ray said that on October 27 a detective found 0.2 grams of methamphetamine at Stringer’s home and she admitted that the drug belonged to her.
51 year old Ricky Lynn Murphy of Ferrell Road is charged with driving under the influence. He is under a $1,000 bond and his court date is February 20.
Sheriff Ray said that on February 3 a deputy pulled over a blue Ford truck for a tail light law violation. Murphy, the driver got out of the truck, and walked toward the officer’s patrol car. The deputy ordered Murphy to stop but he refused and became belligerent. His eyes were bloodshot and pupils dilated. Murphy submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He was then placed under arrest.