Another Sentence Handed Down in “Operation Ice Pick”

August 8, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Another person indicted more than a year ago in a special session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury for conspiracy to sell more than 300 grams of methamphetamine stemming from an investigation called “Operation Ice Pick” was sentenced Monday, August 7 in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

36-year-old Tiffany Jeannette Ford entered a plea to conspiracy to sell a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams and received an 8-year TDOC sentence to serve at least 30% before her release eligibility date. She was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with a 4-year sentence she is serving in Cumberland County. Ford was given jail credit of 430 days.

The indictments in June, 2022 against Ford and eight others followed an eight month long undercover investigation started by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department into a major local drug trafficking operation. The TBI and other agencies later joined the sheriff’s department in the probe from February to October 2021 in which drug buys were made through confidential informants.

Five others indicted from “Operation Ice Pick” in June 2022 were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court earlier this year including three in January 2023 and two in June, 2023. The three sentenced in January were 33-year-old Tara R. Treadway of Smithville, 30-year-old Phillip Joe Potter of McMinnville, and 45-year-old Amy L. Hall of Alexandria. The two sentenced in June were 52-year-old Shawn David Troglen of Charlie Dickerson Road, Sparta and 49-year-old Charles Edward White, Jr. of Johnson’s Chapel Road, Sparta.

Cases against three others, 53-year-old Eva Louise Dover of Smithville, 32-year-old Paige Lynn Simmons of McMinnville, and 37-year-old Robert H. Murdock of Killen, Alabama apparently remain pending in court.

Treadway entered a plea to conspiracy to possess in excess of 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received a 10-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Corrections to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. The term is to run consecutively to a White County Criminal Court case against her and concurrently with a Cumberland County case. She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 189 days.

Potter’s sentence was for conspiracy to possess over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine, and he received an 8-year suspended term to run concurrently with a Warren County case against him. He was ordered to forfeit any property seized by the investigating agency. Potter was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 147 days.

Hall entered a plea to conspiracy to sell over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received an 8-year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation with release eligibility of 30%. She was fined $2,000.

Troglen’s sentence was for conspiracy to sell more than 300 grams of methamphetamine and he got a 20-year sentence to serve. Troglen must forfeit all property seized to the investigating agency and he was fined $5,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with a Putnam County case against him in which he also entered a plea to possession of more than 26 grams of meth and received a 20-year sentence to serve. In that case, Troglen must also forfeit all property and contraband seized to the investigating agency. The 20-year term is to run consecutively to a sentence he is now serving for a parole revocation. He was given jail credit from June 9, 2022 to June 20, 2023.

White entered a plea to charges of conspiracy to sell over 300 grams of methamphetamine, sale of more than 0.5 grams of meth (2 counts), and sale of more than 26 grams of meth (2 counts). White received a 20-year sentence to serve in one case and 8 years in each of the other four all to run concurrently with a total fine of $5,000. He must serve at least 35% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole and he must forfeit all property and contraband seized to the investigating agency. White was given jail credit of 376 days.

In other cases, 31-year-old Britta Morgan Rollins entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver and received an 8-year sentence suspended to supervised probation as a range I offender. She was fined $2,000. Rollins was given 13 days jail credit.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on May 8, 2021 a deputy found Rollins, who was a backseat passenger of an automobile, and placed her under arrest for failure to appear. After being removed from the vehicle the officer asked Rollins if she had anything on her person, Rollins replied that she had methamphetamine in her bra. She then produced a clear baggie containing a crystal-like substance believed to be meth which weighed 8 grams.

42-year-old Christopher Matthew McPherson of Cookeville, just indicted last week for Sale and Delivery of a Schedule II drug (Methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams entered a guilty plea and received an 8-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000.

August 8, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A McMinnville woman indicted almost three years ago for an arson entered a best interest plea in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday to the lesser charge of reckless burning.

50-year-old Jan Winchester received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to six months of supervised probation followed by six months of good behavior probation as long as there are no further issues. The amount of restitution is to be determined later.

The case was investigated by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and deputies with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

TBI agents were requested to join deputies with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb County Fire Department in investigating a structure fire on April 14th, 2020 in the 200 block of Lee Homer Road in Smithville. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that identified Winchester as the individual responsible for setting the fire.

On November 16th, 2020 the DeKalb County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Winchester with one count of Arson.

August 8, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A Classroom Hunter Education Course will be held Saturday, August 19 at the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Main Station at 782 King Ridge Road, Dowelltown.

TWRA Officer Tony Cross said the class will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The course is offered free of charge. Participants must Pre-register on-line at www.tnwildlife.org and follow the prompts.

Participants must be at least 9 years old to take the class and must attend for the entire eight-hour course.

For more information call Cross at 931-287-8427.

Under state law, every person born on or after January 1, 1969, before hunting, shall possess, in addition to all other licenses and permits required, proof of satisfactory completion of an agency approved hunter education course.

Those under 10 years of age do not need a Hunter Education certificate, but must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device.

The basic Hunter Education Course provides firearms safety training and introduces students to their responsibilities in the fields of hunter ethics and wildlife management. The main objective of the Hunter Education Program is to reduce the potential for hunting accidents and ultimately reduce the number of hunting injuries. The course is taught according to standards established by the International Hunter Education Association. By meeting these standards the Tennessee Hunter Education program is recognized by all states, Canada, and Mexico.

The basic course is free of charge and consists of a minimum of ten (10) hours of classroom participation. Most classes generally last 12-16 hours. Students must successfully pass a written test consisting of 100 multiple choice questions. All students are required to participate in a live fire exercise. Students must attend all classes. Students need to bring their Social Security Number and a #2 pencil to the class.

Course content includes:
*Hunter ethics
•Hunter responsibility toward wildlife, the environment, landowners and the general public
•Archery and the history of modern day bowhunting
•Tree stand safety
•History of firearms
•Blackpowder and muzzleloading firearms
•Knowledge of modern firearms and ammunition
•Proper gun handling and storage
•Marksmanship fundamentals
•Hunt preparation: specific laws and various equipment
•Principles of wildlife management and wildlife identification
•Survival
•Hypothermia
•First aid