After serving almost 20 years and 5 terms, Sheriff Patrick Ray is bowing out of the race for re-election in 2026
by: Dwayne PageMay 22, 2025
After 20 years, DeKalb County will have a new sheriff come September 1, 2026.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, a Republican, announced today (Thursday, May 22) that he will not seek re-election to an unprecedented sixth term next year.
Ray, who was first elected sheriff in 2006, has served longer in the office than any other person. He will be completing his fifth and final term as of August 31, 2026. By that date, his total law enforcement career will have spanned 37 years.
He chose to make the announcement today (Thursday) because May 22 has a special significance for him. “Today is my law enforcement anniversary date. I started my career at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department on May 22, 1989 with Sheriff Kenneth Pack, “he said.
Prior to becoming sheriff, Ray held many other law enforcement related positions both in DeKalb and Warren County.
“I served as a Lake site Patrolman, Dispatcher, Deputy, Detective and the last four years as Chief Deputy (under Sheriff Pack). I worked 13 years and 3 months with the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department leaving on August 31st 2002. On November 12, 2002, I went to work at the Warren County Sheriff’s Department as a Criminal Investigator for Sheriff Jackie Matheny Sr. I worked for Warren County for 3 years and 9 months leaving on August 31, 2006 after I was elected Sheriff,” said Ray.
When asked why not try for another term, Sheriff Ray said he felt it was time to leave.
“When I made a decision in 2004 to run for Sheriff in the 2006 election cycle. I never prayed to win. I prayed that the Lord’s will be done. Every election cycle after that, I have prayed that same prayer, but adding, that the Lord would let me know when it was time for me to leave office. Now, I know it is time for me to leave office at the end of this term. The Lord has given me peace with this decision,” he said.
During his tenure, Sheriff Ray said he has worked to battle the war on drugs and other crimes to make the county safer for its citizens; to improve public relations; to maintain a department that is trustworthy, professional, keeping up to date on technology and services, and to better the pay and benefits for his employees, all while being fiscally responsible and without neglecting his church and home life.
“Law Enforcement has been my life career. I have truly enjoyed all of my career. I have made many new friends along the way. I want to thank all the citizens of DeKalb County for allowing me to live my dream. It has had many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, it has made me a stronger person,” he said.
In addition to thanking his supporters and residents of the county for the privilege of serving them, Sheriff Ray also expressed appreciation to his family for their love, support, and sacrifices to allow him to do this job as well as “The Lord for all His many blessings”.
With a new sheriff coming in next year, Sheriff Ray pledges his cooperation for a smooth transition.
“Whoever wins the Sheriff’s race, I want him to come into the office as soon as he can. There is so much information about running a jail he needs to know before he takes office. I want to assist in any way possible. I also want the sheriff-elect to have a part in making a decision on what the budget will be next year. The budget will probably pass under my administration but I will only have 2 months use of it. I want to make sure the sheriff-elect has whatever he needs to run the Sheriff’s Department and Jail. I look forward to working with him on my way out. I want a smooth and orderly transition,” said Sheriff Ray.
As he leaves office next year, some may ask what’s next for Patrick Ray?
“I have been asked what I am going to do when I leave office. This is all I have to say. The Lord has a plan for me. My faith is strong in Him. I faithfully believe he will guide me in the direction that I need to go”.
The following is Sheriff Patrick Ray’s entire prepared announcement:
“I’m not going to seek a 6th term for the Office of Sheriff. I made a decision in 2004 to run for Sheriff in the 2006 election cycle. I never prayed to win. I prayed that the Lord’s will be done. Every election cycle after that, I have prayed that same prayer, but adding, that the Lord would let me know when it was time for me to leave office. Now, I now know it is time for me to leave office at the end of this term. The Lord has given me peace with this decision.
I am the son of Patsy Ray and the late Roy Ray.
My wife’s name is Dessa and we have one son PJ (Patrick Ray Jr.)
We attend New Union The Baptist Church where I have attended my whole life. I have been a member there for 43 years and where I also serve as a Deacon.
Today is my law enforcement anniversary date. I started my career at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department on May 22, 1989 with Sheriff Kenneth Pack.
I served as a Lake site Patrolman, Dispatcher, Deputy, Detective and the last four years as Chief Deputy. I worked 13 years and 3 months with the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department leaving on August 31st 2002.
On November 12, 2002, I went to work at the Warren County Sheriff’s Department as a Criminal Investigator for Sheriff Jackie Matheny Sr. I worked for Warren County for 3 years and 9 months leaving on August 31, 2006 after I was elected Sheriff.
I was elected Sheriff in 2006. At the end of this term, August 31, 2026, I will have served as Sheriff for 20 years.
My total law enforcement time will be 37 years at the end of this term.
Law Enforcement has been my life career. I have truly enjoyed all of my career. I have made many new friends along the way.
I am the 50th elected Sheriff in DeKalb County. I have been blessed to serve longer than any Sheriff before me. I have been told; I am the only Republican Sheriff who ran for re-election who did not have a democrat challenger. That happened in the 2010 election cycle. I have been truly blessed to be able to serve the citizens of DeKalb County.
When I was first elected, I made myself a few promises.
* One, that this job would not destroy my marriage. This year Dessa and I will be happily married for 29 years.
*Two I wanted to leave the Sheriff’s Office with good standing in the County.
*Three, that I would fight for my employees for pay raises and benefits. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Jail has always been behind the eight ball on pay and benefits for its employees. These men and women put their lives on the line every day to protect you and your families. They all deserve a comfortable pay for the great job they do. I have worked with the county commission for 18 years this far, and 3 County Mayors, Mayor Mike Foster, Mayor Tim Stribling and now Mayor Matt Adcock. They have been great to work with. With their help, I have brought the pay scale up from where it was. We are not where we should be yet, but we are a lot closer.
I also made a few promises to the Citizens of the county when I ran for office.
I have tried to be a leader for my department and not a dictator. I have tried to show leadership through example, while on duty and also in my personal life.
*To have a professional Sheriff’s Department that Citizens could be proud of,
*to work hard on drugs and other crimes,
*and that my department and I be trustworthy and courteous just to name a few. I hope my department and I have done that for the citizens of the county.
I have tried my best to be available to the public. Either in the office, on the phone, and social media.
I have financially worked within my budget for the Sheriff’s Department, Jail, and Drug Fund over my tenure.
I have tried to improve the Sheriff’s Department and Jail with updated technology and equipment.
All the patrol vehicles now have computers with internet in them. The Deputies can communicate with dispatch through their computer. They also can run their own tags, driver’s license and do their incident and accident reports from their patrol vehicle. A lot of these have been paid by grants.
When I took office in 2006, we had one School Resource Officer or SRO in the High School. With the help of the county commission and school board, I was able to put 5 more school resource officers in our schools over the years. Today DeKalb West School, Smithville Elementary, Northside Elementary and DeKalb Middle School has one School Resource Officer assigned to their School Campus and DeKalb County High School has two School Resource Officers assigned to the campus there.
I have tried to be actively involved in many of the county events that has taken place throughout our county.
I have just recently opened the first ever DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department shooting range where our county officers have a place to qualify with their weapons and where the Sheriff’s Department and Jail staff can do their training. All of the repairs and updates were done through grants or donated items. I used inmate labor to do almost all of the labor to the building and gun range.
I want to thank all the citizens of DeKalb County for allowing me to live my dream. It has had many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, it has made me a stronger person.
I want to thank all of my past and present employees. I have not done this job alone. Our Sheriff’s Department and Jail employees have made DeKalb County a safer and better place to live, worship, and raise a family in. I know without all of you and your dedicated service to DeKalb County; DeKalb County would not be what it is today. Thank you so much for your service to our County.
To my extended family, close friends, and loyal supporters, thank you for always being behind me and helping me along the way. I cannot say thank you enough for all of your support over the years.
To my wife Dessa and son PJ, you have made so many sacrifices for my career. There have been many times I have had to be away from you doing something with the Sheriff’s Department or Jail. I can think of one time when PJ was young, we drove to Florida for our first vacation since I was elected. We drove for 10 hours to only spend the night and turn around to come back home the next morning because of a Jail Escape. Needless to say, they were not happy with this decision, but this is just one example of many, of their support for me and my career. Thank you so much for allowing me to do a job I truly love. I am so blessed to have a wife and son as understanding as you two have been. You two are my rock and I love you so much.
But above all, I want to think the Lord for all his many blessings. He has blessed me so much. He has walked beside of me through a lot of tragic events within my career. I have prayed many prayers to Him for the victims of crimes, for the families it has affected, the accused and also myself. I know a lot of people have prayed for me and my department also and I appreciate it so much. It has definitely made me a better Christian and public servant.
Whoever wins the Sheriff’s race next year, I want them to come into the office as soon as they can. There is so much information about running a jail they need to know before they take office. The jail is the biggest task for a Sheriff, especially a new one. The jail is the biggest risk for lawsuits. With a new jail coming, there are going to be huge challenges for the sheriff-elect and his administration. I want to assist in any way possible.
I also want the sheriff-elect to have a part in making a decision on what the budget will be next year. The budget will probably pass under my administration and I will have 2 months use of it. I want to make sure the sheriff-elect has whatever they need to run the Sheriff’s Department and Jail. I look forward to working with them on my way out. I want a smooth and orderly transition.
Some people have asked what I am going to do when I leave office. This is all I have to say. The Lord has a plan for me. My faith is strong in Him. I faithfully believe he will guide me in the direction that I need to go”.
Tigerettes Win First Game of State Softball Tournament
by: Dwayne PageMay 21, 2025
Tigerettes Win!
(View revised Class 3A state softball tournament bracket at link below)
A 2-run homerun in the bottom of the 8th inning by Hannah Brown handed the DeKalb County Tigerettes a 4 to 2 win over McNairy Central in the first round of the Class 3A state softball tournament this morning (Wednesday, May 21) in Murfreesboro.
Tigerette Pitcher Kora Kilgore recorded 19 strikeouts in the game and gave up 3 hits. Bailee Shelton, the pitcher for McNairy Central who has committed to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville struck out 13 and gave up 9 hits.
DC scored 2 runs in the 1st inning and did not score again until the game winning homerun in the 8th inning. McNairy Central scored 1 run in both the 5th and 6th innings.
For the Tigerettes, Riley Wilbur had a double and scored a run; Zayleigh Bain singled, Bryna Pelham had 2 singles and an RBI and scored a run, Kora Kilgore had 2 singles and an RBI, Maggie Hendrixson singled, Brooke Fuson singled and scored a run, and Hannah Brown had a 2-run homerun and 2 RBI.
The Tigerettes will face Unicoi County today (Wednesday, May 21) at 3 p.m. in the winner’s bracket of the tournament also at McKnight field #1. Unicoi County shutout Dyer County 3 to 0 Wednesday morning on their side of the tournament bracket.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and on the Live audio stream at www.wjle.com
Claspell Gets 3 Years Probation for Aggravated Burglary and Aggravated Assault
by: Dwayne PageMay 21, 2025
A woman arrested last summer for allegedly breaking into a dwelling and committing an assault appeared for sentencing Monday, May 19 in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
40-year-old Andrea Claspell entered a plea to aggravated burglary and aggravated assault and received a three-year sentence in each case all suspended to supervised probation. The cases are to run concurrently. She was given 34 days jail credit.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on July 11, 2024 a deputy was dispatched to Green Hill Road due to an assault. Upon arrival, he spoke with homeowners who reported that Claspell, who appeared to be under the influence, had taken possession of a Toyota Tacoma and driven through their yard and into the roadway where it got stuck in a ditch. The vehicle had extensive damage. The officer found Claspell holding a bottle of wine walking down the road. While speaking with Claspell, the officer found her speech to be slurred and she was unsteady on her feet. Claspell admitted to having consumed alcohol and driving the vehicle. She refused to submit to a blood draw. Her previous DUI offense was December 10, 2020.
Sheriff Ray said the investigation revealed that prior to her arrest, Claspell had allegedly entered an occupied dwelling with intent to commit an assault, then struck a man there in the face causing him to be checked out by DeKalb EMS. Claspell further allegedly caused damage to personal property outside the home with her vehicle by running over the owner’s bicycles, kids’ toys, and a trampoline and driving toward a woman placing her in fear of serious bodily injury.
Meanwhile a man arrested in a drug bust in March by the Smithville Police Department at the Rama Inn on East Broad Street was also sentenced Monday.
25-year-old Robert Stephen Ryan Derrick of East Broad Street (The Rama Inn) entered a plea by criminal information to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell. He received a 10-year TDOC sentence to serve and was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run consecutive to a probation violation against him. Derrick was given jail credit from March 3 to May 19, 2025.
Two other people were also charged in the case, 36-year-old Savannah Elizabeth Mae Derrick of Crestlawn Avenue, and 37-year-old Landon Craig Wyatt of Toad Road but their cases are apparently still pending in court.
Chief Mark Collins said that on Monday, March 3, 2025 the Smithville Police Department executed a search warrant at 600 East Broad Street (The Rama Inn) and during the search found one a half pounds of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine along with scales, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia items. He said both Robert and Savannah Derrick were out on parole.
Robert Derrick was charged at the time with sale and delivery of a schedule II drug; Savannah Derrick was arrested for simple possession of Fentanyl; and Landon Wyatt was charged with simple possession of methamphetamine.
43-year-old Johnny E. Bain, charged with three counts of aggravated assault has applied for supervised pre-trial judicial diversion probation and the prosecution will be suspended for six months while Bain is on CPS supervised probation followed by 6 months of good behavior probation provided he follows all the conditions including performing 20 hours of community service work.
22-year-old Brandon M. Lee, charged with two counts of aggravated assault has applied for supervised pre-trial judicial diversion probation and the prosecution will be suspended for six months while Lee is on CPS supervised probation followed by 6 months of good behavior probation provided he follows all the conditions including performing 20 hours of community service work.
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