Local News Articles

Smithville Police arrested a man for evading arrest after assisting the sheriff's department in possibly foiling a burglary in progress last Sunday, September 30.

Chief Randy Caplinger said 30 year old William Travis Malone is charged with evading arrest. Corporal Travis Bryant assisted the Sheriff's Department in responding to a burglary in progress at an old barn at the corner of Allen's Ferry Road and Holmes Creek Road. Upon arrival Corporal Bryant was flagged down by neighbors informing him that the suspect was hiding in an old silo. Corporal Bryant approached the silo, identified himself, and asked the suspect to come out. The suspect, Malone, took off running but was found a short time later lying down among tall weeds. His court date is October 11.

35 year old Crystal Rae King was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia on Friday, September 28. Chief Caplinger said that while on a call at Wal-Mart, an officer saw King attempting to throw a needle in the trash can. King will be in court on November 15.

52 year old Linda Sue Murphy and her son 37 year old Dewayne Dovie Thompson were cited for shoplifting on Saturday, September 29. Chief Caplinger said that Murphy was shopping in Wal-Mart and knowingly and intentionally attempted and assisted her son, Thompson in concealing items on Thompson's person in an attempt to deprive Wal-Mart of their property. Their court date is October 12.

25 year old Jonathon Carltion Armour was cited for theft of property on Monday, October 1.. The victim filed a report on September 27 stating that someone had stolen a box containing miscellaneous copper pieces from his front porch. Upon investigation it was found that Armour had taken the copper belonging to the victim. His court date is October 25.

30 year old Nicholas A Hollingsworth was cited for simple possession and drug paraphernalia on Tuesday, October 2. Hollingsworth was stopped for a traffic violation and upon a search of his vehicle, the officer found paraphernalia used for illegal drugs. A pill was also found, believed to be dilaudid. His court date is October 25.

Meanwhile, anyone with information on any criminal activity is asked to please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.

Any information received that will help the Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.

A Smithville woman, charged with TennCare fraud involving "doctor shopping," or using TennCare to go to multiple doctors in a short time period to obtain controlled substances, pleaded guilty in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.

Under a negotiated settlement, 27 year old Krista Mahaney pleaded guilty to TennCare fraud. Judge Leon Burns, Jr. sentenced her to two years, all suspended to supervised probation, She must make restitution to TennCare in the amount of $1,113 and she will lose her TennCare benefits.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), in a joint investigation with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, announced the arrest of Mahaney in January. She was originally charged with two counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by "doctor shopping."

The charges accused Mahaney of seeing more than one physician within a 30-day period for the purpose of getting prescriptions for Suboxone, a drug used to treat heroin addiction by mimicking the effects of the drug without the addictive qualities. The physician office visits and the medications were paid for by TennCare.

"The unauthorized use and abuse of prescription drugs is a serious crime, and it's compounded when TennCare is used to subsidize the activity," Inspector General Deborah Faulkner said. "We're committed to ensuring that TennCare benefits are not used for the purchase and eventual distribution of these drugs to people they weren't prescribed for."
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years per charge in prison.

Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig and follow the prompts that read "Report TennCare Fraud."

Meanwhile, in other cases Friday, 24 year old Steven Andrew Cantrell pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule III controlled substance (Dihydrocodeune) and received a two year sentence, suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000

30 year old Willie Murphy pleaded guilty to burglary and theft over $1,000. He received a four year sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other and concurrently with a violation of probation against him. Murphy must make restitution of $1,275 to Smithville Rental Center. He was given jail credit of 202 days.

23 year old Cougar Wayne Pursley pleaded guilty by information to reckless driving and received a sentence of five months and 29 days on probation. He was fined $350.

28 year old Desiree Snyder pleaded guilty to promotion to manufacture methamphetamine and prescription fraud. She received a two year sentence in each case, all suspended to supervised probation. The two sentences are to be served consecutively or back to back for a total of four years. Snyder was fined $2,000 and she must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment. Her probation is to be transferred to Michigan. Snyder was given nine days jail credit.

27 year old David Turner pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule III drug and received a suspended two year sentence. He was also fined $2,000.

32 year old William Wayne Graham pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule II controlled substance. He received a six year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Corrections and was fined $2,000.

41 year old Michael Thomas pleaded guilty by information to reckless endangerment and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to supervised probation by community corrections. The sentence is to run concurrently with his current probation.

25 year old Justin Thomas pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a three year sentence, suspended to supervised probation. The sentence is to run consecutive with Wilson County cases against him.

20 year old Marv Cash pleaded guilty to theft over $500 and received a one year sentence, all suspended to probation. He has requested judicial diversion.

27 year old Robert Justin Luna pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and criminal trespass. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in the theft case, all suspended except for ten days. He must make restitution of $100 to the victim and pay $100 to the economic crime fund. Luna received a 30 day suspended sentence in the criminal trespass case. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other and with a White County case against him for domestic assault.

28 year old Rhonda J. Goff pleaded guilty to promotion of methamphetamine and received a two year sentence, suspended to probation with community corrections. She was fined $2,000. Goff must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and follow any treatment recommendations. She was given 49 days jail credit.

34 year old Jerry Goff pleaded guilty to initiation to manufacture methamphetamine and received an eight year sentence to serve at 30% before his release eligibility date. He was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with a violation of probation case against him. Goff was given jail credit of 211 days.

50 year old Earl Yost pleaded guilty to a third offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to probation except for 120 days to serve. Yost was fined $1,110 and he will lose his drivers license for five years. He will report to jail on October 19.

21 year old Travis Davenport pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule VI controlled substance for resale and received a two year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with his current CPS probation.

23 year old Porsche Cantrell Batey pleaded guilty to introduction of contraband. She received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation except for one year to serve. The sentence is to run concurrently with a general sessions court case against her. Cantrell was given jail credit from March 4 to June 7.

The Utility Management Review Board, citing the lack of jurisdiction, decided Thursday that it would not consider a petition filed by concerned citizens and ratepayers on whether or not the DeKalb Utility District should build a water treatment plant. But the UMRB will act on the petitioners request for a DUD rate review. That issue could be addressed at its December 6 meeting.

A petition, signed by more than 1,000 persons was submitted to the Tennessee Comptroller and Utility Management Review Board in July asking for a state review of rates charged by the DUD and its plan of services including the proposed water treatment plant. The petition drive was spearheaded by the Calvert Street Group, a Nashville public relations company, hired by the City of Smithville in April to better educate the public, from the city's perspective, on the impact of the plan by the DeKalb Utility District to build its own water treatment plant.

The UMRB met Thursday in Nashville and the issue regarding the petition and the DUD was tops on the agenda. During that meeting, the UMRB ruled that it had no jurisdiction to consider the petition as to the proposed water treatment plant. A decision apparently shared by Greg Cothron, Assistant General Counsel for the state comptroller's office, who had apparently recently rendered an opinion that the petition had failed to provide a basis for review by the UMRB and that the UMRB lacked jurisdiction to hear it. "On the jurisdictional issue only with regard to whether the UMRB has jurisdiction to consider the petition before it, the UMRB essentially approved a motion setting forth that they did not have jurisdiction on the question of whether or not DUD should be building a water treatment plant," said DUD attorney Keith Blair during the DeKalb Utility District's monthly board meeting Thursday afternoon.

But while the UMRB chose not to weigh in on the water plant issue itself, it has agreed to conduct a rate review, according the Blair. "So at the next hearing of the UMRB and their next regular meeting is December 6, I am assuming at this point that the rate review process will be on the December 6 docket at the UMRB. This just came down today (Thursday) so that's essentially all I know at this point," said Blair.

"The mission of the Tennessee Comptroller and the Utility Management Review Board is to look for duplicity, for taxpayer waste to protect ratepayers, and rate increases that are out of line with what their plans and their debt management policy calls for," said Darden Copeland of the Calvert Street Group.

The petition filed with the UMRB states "DUD ratepayers ask the UMRB to find that the DUD acted wrongly in approving the financing of the construction of a redundant water treatment facility in DeKalb County and in its service expansion and resulting rate increases and take all necessary action to provide DUD ratepayers with all appropriate relief afforded to them under the laws of the state of Tennessee."

DUD officials are anxious to get this matter settled as quickly as possible. In a recent letter to Cothorn and UMRB Board Coordinator Joyce Welborn, Blair wrote "As you are aware, DUD has taken significant steps to initiate the construction of a water treatment plant as well as making plans to restructure certain long term debt for additional cost savings to their customers. Once the petition in question was filed, at a time when the closing of the bonds to finance this project was imminent, DUD cautiously delayed the closing and finalization of the financing of this project in order to obtain proper verification from UMRB that the petition had no merit and, most importantly, that the UMRB did not have jurisdiction to consider the issues presented."

"With this pending petition, DUD continues to suffer monetary losses each day due to their inability to proceed forward with the planned refinancing and water treatment plant. It is clearly evident that interest rates and construction costs are at an all time low. The interest rates and construction rates will no doubt increase in the coming months which will damage DUD financially causing them to spend more on this project than anticipated which potentially could result in additional rate increases. Further, the longer that this issue is in limbo, the longer that DUD will have to purchase water from the City of Smithville, the proponent behind the petition in question."

"A delay will do nothing but prolong the final resolution of this matter and cause DUD continued delay and financial loss that will do nothing but hurt the customers of DUD. A delay only benefits the petitioner, with no due cause being shown and severely hurts DUD each day that passes without resolution." wrote Blair.

While military deployments and hospital stays may keep many of our nation’s heroes away from their families this holiday season, the American Red Cross is collecting and distributing cards that send words of encouragement, gratitude and cheer.

Between October 1 and December 7, Americans can give something that means something by sending a card of thanks and support to members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

“It just takes a moment to sign a card to share your appreciation for the sacrifices members of the military community make,” said Kathy Nesmith, Chapter Executive, Warren County Chapter which includes DeKalb County. “You say thanks, we’ll do the rest.”

The Red Cross is inviting the public to send messages of thanks and holiday cheer until December 7 by mailing them to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Pitney Bowes Inc. receives cards at the special Holiday Mail post office box, and screens them for hazardous materials. Pitney Bowes screens, packages and ships the cards at no charge, and contributes thousands of volunteer hours at sites around the country.

Red Cross volunteers across the United States and on military installations overseas then sort and deliver the cards throughout the holiday season. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have received and distributed more than 4.7 million cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and their families since the program began in 2006.

Local card signing dates to be announced.

To ensure that cards are delivered in time for the holidays, they must be postmarked no later than December 7. Individuals are asked to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary donations, or using glitter or any other kinds of inserts with the cards. More information and card requirements are at redcross.org/holidaymail.

The public can connect with fellow card senders through Facebook at facebook.com/redcross and Twitter.com/redcross using the hashtag #holidaymail.

The Red Cross relies on the support of the American people to carry out its mission of service to the 2 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces, 24 million veterans and their families. During this holiday season, people also can support all Red Cross services by making a financial donation at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Individuals can also give the gift of life by making an appointment to give blood at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.