Former Law Enforcement Officer Indicted for Sex Crimes Involving a Minor

December 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A former law enforcement officer in DeKalb and other counties has been indicted on sex crimes involving a minor.

39-year-old Dustin James Farris of Star Drive, Sparta (DeKalb County) was arrested this morning (Thursday) for solicitation of a minor by electronic means, sexual exploitation of a minor (2 counts), and sexual contact with a minor by an authority figure.

A special called session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury met Wednesday and heard testimony against Farris and found probable cause to indict him. A sealed indictment was returned against Farris by the Grand Jury.

Bond for Farris was set at $100,000 and he will appear for arraignment in DeKalb County Criminal Court on January 18, 2023.

Farris’ latest employment was with the Overton County Sheriff’s Department where he served as a School Resource Officer. He had also formerly been employed as an officer in recent years by the DeKalb, White, Putnam, and Cannon County Sheriff’s Departments as well as a Child Support Investigator in the 13th Judicial District.

Count 1 of the indictment alleges that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris did unlawfully by means of oral, written, or electronic communication, electronic mail or Internet service, including webcam communications, directly or through another, to intentionally command, hire, persuade, induce, or cause a minor to engage in simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or in sexual activity, where such simulated sexual activity or sexual activity is observed by that person or another and that Farris is 18 years of age or older (than the victim)”

Counts 2 & 3 of the indictment allege that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris did unlawfully display to a minor, or expose a minor to, any material containing simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or sexual activity if the purpose of the display can reasonably be construed as being for the sexual arousal or gratification of the minor or the person displaying the material”.

Count 4 of the indictment alleges that “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor when the defendant at the time of the offense was in a position of trust or had supervisory or disciplinary power over the minor by virtue of the defendant’s legal, professional, or occupational status and used the position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual contact. The defendant intentionally touched or kissed the minor’s lips with the defendant’s lips and such touching can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification”.

December 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County High School continued its monthly observance Tuesday of recognizing a teacher, student, and parents or guardians of the month for December.

Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from KFC/Taco Bell. A different restaurant will be offering a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.

DCHS English instructor Lindsay Kennedy was selected as Teacher of the Month while senior Alyssa Pugh is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers, faculty, and staff. The parents of the month are Dana and Joshua Bare and this honor was based on a winning essay written by their adopted son Jamison Bare, a freshman at DCHS.

Kennedy has been an educator for five years but this is her first year as teacher at DCHS.

“I feel so honored to have received this recognition,” said Kennedy. “I teach English II and English Honors II to sophomores. I love being a teacher here because the atmosphere is so friendly. I feel I have been accepted with open arms. Everybody has helped me with anything I have needed. I love coming here every morning. There are always new challenges. Its exciting every single day,” said Kennedy.

A native of Liberty, Kennedy attended a church school in Woodbury as a child and then at Boyd Christian in McMinnville. She furthered her education at MTSU and UT and graduated from McNeese State University in Louisiana. She recently earned her Master’s Degree from Western Governor’s University and is continuing her studies.

Kennedy began her teaching career in Louisiana where she and her husband David resided. Two years later they relocated to Tennessee and she took a teaching position at White County High School, the job she had before coming to DCHS.

The Kennedy’s, who now reside in McMinnville, have two children, 8-year-old Ashlyn and 5-year-old Isaac.

“Lindsay has done a fantastic job coming on board,” said Assistant DCHS Principal Thomas Cagle. “She has meshed really well with the other teachers in the English department. She is great with the kids. We love going into her classroom and seeing the things she has been able to do and bringing a different perspective to English for these students. We could not be more blessed to have her as a teacher here at DeKalb this year. We are really enjoying getting to know her more and having her on board as one of our faculty,” added Cagle.

“Our student of the month is Alyssa Pugh,” Cagle continued. “She is one of those students that for the entire time she has been in high school her name is one that always pops up as helping with different facets whether its with teachers or other students. She is very friendly to everyone and always has a smile on her face. She comes to school every day with a great attitude. Its really been a great privilege to get to be her principal now after having been her teacher at one point. She is a fantastic student. We love having her and the energy she brings and the work she is doing with the Pals program. She is an example to other students in the school,” said Cagle.

“It feels great,” said Alyssa about being named Student of the Month at DCHS. “I was obviously not prepared for it”. Daughter of Julie and Bradley Pugh, Alyssa is active at school especially in the Pals Program where she helps kids with special needs. “I get to be in a classroom with special needs kids through the Pals Program and I really like doing it because its fun to help out,” she said.

She is also a member of the BETA, Science, and FCCLA clubs at school.

After graduation, Alyssa wants to further her education and then go into the nursing field.

“As soon as I get out of high school, I will get certified and become a pharmacy tech and then I may go to Motlow or straight to Tech to get my RN. If I want to continue nursing from there, I will but having my RN will get me into a hospital,” said Pugh.

Eight years ago, Jamison (Jay) Bare and his younger sister were adopted by Dana and Joshua Bare and were welcomed into the family where there were already three other children. Because of the love and care shown him and his sister, Jamison said he wanted to express how he felt about his new family and decided to write an essay in nominating them for Parents of the Month.

Cagle said the essay left an impression on the judges during the selection process. “Jamison wrote an essay for his parents with a special meaning behind it. He has an interesting background and for him to take the time to honor his parents and what they have been able to do for him outside of school is exactly what the purpose of these essays is all about”.

“I wanted to let my parents know how much I love them. I was honest and wrote about everything they have done for me. They have been with me through everything. They adopted me when I was six years old and now I am 14,” said Bare.

Jamison’s biological sister is now 11 years old, and his other sisters are ages 11, 14, and 19.

December 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The Future Farmers of America Chapter at DeKalb County High School is getting a new greenhouse and it has the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association to thank for it.

Leaders of the TNLA presented a check for $1,000 to the FFA Chapter on Tuesday to reboot the Plant Science program at DCHS.

John Flanders, 2nd vice president of Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association made the presentation joined by Bert Driver of Bert Driver Nursery, who is also a member and Legislative Chair/ Ex Officio of the TNLA. Receiving the donation were Morgan Oyster, local FFA Chapter Advisor, FFA President Laura Magness, FFA Secretary Elizabeth Gaines, and DCHS Principal Bruce Curtis.

With DeKalb County being part of the nursery capital of the world, Flanders said the donation to the DCHS FFA program is fitting and he credited Driver with having come up with the idea.

“We are donating $1,000 to the DeKalb County FFA to support the construction of a new greenhouse here at DCHS. The project was originally championed a couple of years ago by past President of TNLA Bert Driver. I was on the board at the time too. I have recycled back onto the board now due to a vacancy.  We had a golf tournament that raised a couple thousand dollars and we designated $1,000 of those proceeds to help the kids here at  DeKalb County FFA. One of our mandates at the TNLA is to promote education and in agriculture specifically and that is what we are doing here today,” said Flanders.

Oyster said this donation is a big boost to the agriculture program at DCHS.

“This is a huge thing for our program because we are wanting to get the plant science program built back up at DCHS. Over the last 5-6 years the greenhouse really hasn’t been kept up, so this was a goal of ours and it’ll become a huge fundraiser for us to be able to have a plant sale in mid-May every year. In the spring I have a double block of plant science classes so we will be in there (greenhouse) each day beginning in January to May planting thousands of plants. It will give them a hands-on learning experience, but it will also benefit our chapter,” said Oyster.

“We appreciate TNLA and their donation,” added Principal Curtis. “This is something I started last year as far as wanting to get the greenhouse back up and running. Its great for our kids because it is hands on. They are actually able to get out and work with plants but its also a great fundraiser for our organization. I look forward to getting it back up and running this spring,” said Curtis.

Driver, a leader in the nursery and landscape industry in Tennessee, said he is hopeful that a reinvigorated plant science program at DCHS will result in more students being able to qualify for scholarships to advance their agriculture ambitions.

“The TNLA has had an ongoing scholarship program for both high school students and college students for decades and part of that fundraising effort at the golf tournament goes to these scholarships so this public funding for public students to be in agriculture was a thought that maybe the greenhouse here could be upgraded so that those students could apply for the scholarship also. It’s a win-win for everybody involved and it brings some recognition to the program in DeKalb County and to the association which has been here for over 100 years,” said Driver.

Others who may want to support the DCHS FFA program may reach out to the school.

The Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association was founded in 1905 as an organization where nursery and other related industries would have the opportunity to share ideas, foster research and further educate members in order to benefit owners, employees and consumers.

Throughout its 117-year history in Tennessee, TNLA has seen tremendous growth in membership and services provided. Because of this growth, TNLA has evolved into The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc.

Today, TNLA hosts an annual trade show (Tennessee Green Industry Expo www.tngie.com), sponsors seminars, offers scholarships, sponsors a field day, maintains a website and more for its members. Currently, over 300 companies profit through their TNLA annual membership. They come from every part of the industry: nursery production, landscaping, irrigation and lawn care.

TNLA goals include making every nursery owner, landscaper, and garden center owner in the state aware of the organization and giving them the opportunity to benefit from the services provided. The ultimate goal of TNLA is to increase the production and marketing of Tennessee grown nursery stock.