News
Man wanted in Florida on fugitive warrant arrested in DeKalb County
May 29, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
A man wanted in Polk County Florida for fraudulent use of a credit card and theft was arrested last week in DeKalb County.
33-year-old Robert Justin Burkholder of South College Street, Smithville is charged with being a fugitive from justice. His bond is $50,000 and he will be in court June 5.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on May 23 a deputy was summoned to Johnson’s Chapel Road due to a verbal altercation and spoke with one of the parties, Burkholder. After a background check, the officer learned that Burkholder was wanted in Polk County Florida for fraudulent use of a credit card and theft. Florida authorities plan to extradite Burkholder.
37-year-old Karri Margaret Jewell of Page Drive is charged with fabricating or tampering with evidence. Her bond is $7,500 and she will be in court May 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 12 a deputy was transporting Jewell to the sheriff’s office after placing her in custody on an active warrant. As Jewell got out of the patrol car at the sally port of the jail, the officer spotted a ripped clear plastic baggie in the floorboard of the vehicle. A female correctional officer searched Jewell and found inside of Jewell’s shorts pocket, the other part of the clear plastic baggie with residue. Jewell claimed she kept her meth pipe in the baggie and that there used to be meth inside of it. A review of the car’s dash cam video showed Jewell in the back seat and during the transport she placed something in her mouth.
53-year-old Bobby Shawn Haney of Page Drive is charged with burglary and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. His bond totals $15,500 and he will make a court appearance May 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 11 Haney broke into a vehicle on Midway Road and stole a wallet which held a driver license, social security card, insurance card, $40 cash, and a Region’s debit card. The wallet and card contents were valued at $60. On the same day Haney used the debit card at several businesses to make fraudulent purchases including at Smithville Wine & Spirits (totaling $71.32), at DeKalb Market (totaling $62.20), and at Walmart (totaling $259.87). The case was investigated by a detective.
56-year-old Jeffery Lee Bates of Old West Point Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $2,000 and he will be in court June 6.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 19 a deputy was summoned to Sparta Highway to conduct a welfare check on a man who was observed staggering on the side of the roadway. Upon arrival the officer found the man, Bates walking down the road and he smelled of alcohol. Bates admitted to having consumed two to three beers at a bar. For his safety and that of the public Bates was placed under arrest.
30-year-old James Dillan Matthews of Page Drive, Smithville is charged with theft of property. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is June 5.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 4 Matthews stole a generator valued at $1,299 from a residence on McMinnville Highway and then sold it. The generator has not been recovered. The case was investigated by a detective.
42-year-old Justin Keith Liggett of Douglas Avenue, Smithville is charged with aggravated assault. His bond is $8,000 and he will be in court May 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 20 a deputy responded to Pumpkin Hollow Road due to a break in complaint. The homeowner told the officer that Liggett had grabbed her by the neck and tried to choke her. By the time of the officer’s arrival, Liggett had left the residence. He was later arrested.
62-year-old Elizabeth Bryson Shelton of Shiloh Lane, Smithville is charged with forgery. She is under a $5,000 bond and her court date is June 5.
Sheriff Ray said that on about April 17 Shelton forged a name on an automotive title and boat registration and passed them at the county clerk’s office. The case was investigated by a detective.
39-year-old Brittany Ledell Henry of Cookeville is charged with public intoxication. Her bond is $2,000 and she will be in court June 5.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 22 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Allen Ferry Road and Holmes Creek Road to conduct a welfare check on a woman who was observed holding a stop sign. The officer found the woman, Henry with the sign. She smelled of alcohol. Henry admitted having consumed shots of vodka earlier and her behavior was erratic. She was placed in custody. Found during a search of her person was a bottle of Taaka vodka in the back waistband of her shorts with her shirt covering the bottle.
18-year-old Jahaziel Desena Santiago of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with underage driving while impaired. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court June 12.
Sheriff Ray said that on May 24 a deputy was dispatched to Short Mountain Highway due to a possible DUI and he spotted a vehicle which had left Lee Braswell Road and had driven through the yard of a residence. He stopped the automobile and spoke with the driver, Santiago who was unsteady on his feet. His eyes were bloodshot and watery. His speech was slurred, and he smelled of alcohol. Santiago also refused to submit to field sobriety tasks.
Sheriff Releases SRO Activity Report for 2024-25 School Year
May 29, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Sheriff Patrick Ray has released the activity reports from School Resource Officers at all five schools in the county for the 2024-2025 year.
The reports from each school are as follows:
DeKalb West School SRO Billy Tiner
Traffic Accident- 2
Assisted School Staff- 412
Medical Assist- 2
Motorist Assist- 3
Advisory Session with Family- 6
Advisory Session with School Staff- 4
Classroom Lectures- 22
School Meetings- 4
Community Meetings- 2
Ballgames Attended- 41
Arrest for weapons- 1
Removal of Students off School Grounds- 1
Student Searches- 2
Student Transports- 1
Total- 503
Smithville Elementary SRO Roger Whitehead
Traffic Accident- 3
Assisted School Staff- 100
Assisted Patrol Division- 9
Motorist Assists- 12
Advisory Sessions with Students- 8
Advisory Session with Law Enforcement- 19
Advisory Sessions with Family- 7
Advisory Sessions with School Staff- 65
Advisory Sessions with Public- 17
School Meetings- 3
Ballgames Attended- 39
Student Searches- 2
Total 284
Northside Elementary School SRO Matt Summers
Offense Reports Taken- 4
Assisted School Staff- 55
Motorist Assists- 7
Advisory Sessions with Students- 7
Advisory Sessions with Student’s Family- 3
Advisory Sessions with School Staff- 23
Ballgames Attended- 65
Weapon Confiscations- 1 knife
Total 165
DeKalb Middle School SRO Joseph Carroll
Incident Reports- 5
Assist School Staff- 234
Assist Patrol- 3
Assist Detectives- 3
Medical Assists- 2
Motorist Assists- 1
Advisory Sessions with Students- 193
Advisory Sessions with Student’s Family- 17
Advisory Sessions with School Staff- 17
Classroom Lectures- 80
School Meetings-8
Community Meeting- 3
Ballgames Attended- 59
Drug Citations- 2
Weapons Petitions- 1
Assault Petitions- 2
Tobacco Petitions- 1
Student Searches- 18
Locker Searches- 4
Knife Confiscations- 3
Drug Confiscations- 1
Cigarettes/Dip/Vape Confiscations- 7
Total 664
DeKalb County High School SRO Chris McMillen and Jamine Garza
Offense Reports-24
Accident Reports- 6
Assist School Staff- 325
Assist Detective Division- 9
Medical Assist- 2
Motorist Assist- 8
Advisory Sessions with Students- 412
Advisory Sessions with Student’s Family- 79
Advisory Sessions with Law Enforcement- 36
Advisory Sessions with School Staff- 91
Advisory Sessions with Public- 16
Classroom Lectures- 11
School Meetings- 4
Community Meetings- 2
Ballgames Attended- 133
Drug Petitions- 4
Theft Petitions- 2
Assault Petitions- 9
Student Searches- 26
Vehicle Searches- 1
Drug Confiscations- 2 (marijuana vapes)
Cigarettes/Dip/Vape Confiscations- 29
Stolen Property- 2
Total 1,233
Martin Found with Acid, Meth, and Ketamine during probation search
May 28, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
A woman found with methamphetamine, acid, and ketamine during a recent probation search is now in more trouble with the law.
52-year-old Melisha Renne Martin “Buttons” of Cooper Avenue, Smithville is under a $93,000 bond and her court date is June 5.
Martin is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of another controlled substance (acid) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of yet another controlled substance (ketamine) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on April 30 a deputy assisted officers with the Tennessee Department of Probation and Parole on a search at Martin’s home. Inside a wooden tote the officers found a pink canister which held a clear crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed 0.22 grams; three stamped style materials believed to be acid, and a clear baggie containing a crystal-like substance thought to be ketamine that weighed 1.22 grams. The search also turned up a scale with residue, two spoons with burn marks, baggies with white residue inside, and several straws containing white residue.
