Convicted Felon arrested during Traffic Stop

October 18, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A man pulled over for a traffic offense last week was found to be a convicted felon and illegally in possession of a handgun.

40-year-old Joshua Leslie Johnson of Hendrixson Road, Smithville is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on roadways laned for travel, and driving on a revoked license. His bond is $25,000 and he will be in court October 27.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on October 14 a deputy stopped a silver Dodge Avenger and spoke with the driver, Johnson who gave the officer permission to search the vehicle. Found under the driver’s seat was a Lorcin L25 .25 caliber handgun with an inserted magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. The officer also found in the driver side door a box of 25 caliber ammunition containing 10 rounds. Johnson has three felony convictions including one on July 11, 2016 in White County for reckless endangerment involving a deadly weapon.

56-year-old Paul Green Cantrell of Old Blue Springs Road, Smithville is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He was also cited for simple possession of a schedule III drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $10,000 and he will make a court appearance October 27.

Sheriff Ray said that on October 14 a deputy was dispatched to Shiny Rock Market to conduct a welfare check on a man asleep in a parked mini van. Upon arrival the officer found Cantrell asleep in the driver seat. The deputy awoke Cantrell and asked him to step out of the mini van after spotting drug paraphernalia (a glass pipe with white residue) in the driver side floorboard. Found on Cantrell in a cigarette pack were two clear baggies which contained a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine. The total weight of the substance was 2.49 grams. The officer also recovered from the console four and a quarter round peach-colored pills believed to be suboxone.

31-year-old Meghan Denise Asnes of Murfreesboro is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and vandalism over $1,000. Her bond is $8,000 and she will be in court October 27.

Sheriff Ray said that on October 14 a deputy was summoned to Resource Drive (Corps of Engineers Residence) due to a break-in where a window door had been broken and an intruder had entered but left. Damage to the residence was determined to be greater than $1,000. While investigating, the officer learned that someone had given a woman (Asnes) a ride from the area earlier that morning and dropped her off at a lake ramp near the dam. After learning of the break-in, the person who gave Asnes a ride reported it to the officer, and he found her at the ramp. Video surveillance revealed that Asnes had been at the Corps residence and committed the vandalism the night before.

40-year-old Tommy Jerome Bates of Foster Road is charged with evading arrest and public intoxication. His bond is $4,500 and he will be in court October 27.

Sheriff Ray said that on October 5 a deputy spotted a man walking in the middle of the road on West Broad Street near Anthony Avenue. He stopped and confronted the man, Bates who held a 25-ounce Natty Daddy, but Bates took off running as the officer tried to place him under arrest. The deputy gave chase on foot and deployed and used his taser on Bates who was then taken into custody.

29-year-old Marco Antonio Granados-Mendez of Cecil Hale Road is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court October 27.

Sheriff Ray said that on October 9 a deputy was summoned to a Cecil Hale Road residence due to a domestic between a boyfriend and girlfriend. Upon arrival the officer learned that after Mendez and the woman had gotten into an argument, Mendez went outside and then re-entered kicking in the front door. He then went into the kitchen and kept the woman from leaving the home. According to the warrant, Mendez intentionally placed the woman and her two children in a situation where they were in imminent danger of bodily harm.

64-year-old Duane Lee Watson of James Place, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. His bond is $3,000 and he will make a court appearance November 3.

Sheriff Ray said that on October 12 a deputy was summoned to Lakeview Drive due to a report of a motor vehicle accident on private property. Upon arrival the officer found a silver Chevy pickup in a field. The driver, Watson was unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Watson was unable to perform field sobriety tasks due to his level of intoxication. Watson admitted to having consumed alcohol and confessed that he was too drunk to drive. He also had in his possession a pack of Natural Ice alcohol drinks and some open containers.

48-year-old Ginger Elaine Moore of Cookeville Highway, Smithville is charged with violation of an order of protection. Her bond is $8,000 and she will be in court November 10.

Sheriff Ray said that on September 28 a deputy responded to a residence on Cookeville Highway due to an unwanted guest. Upon the officer’s arrival, he spoke with Moore. A background check through NCIC revealed that Moore was a respondent in an active no contact order of protection. The petitioner of the order resides at this location and Moore was there in violation of the order.

42-year-old Abigail Vogel of South College Street, Dowelltown is charged with public intoxication. Her bond is $500.

Sheriff Ray said that on September 30 a deputy spotted a woman walking on West Broad Street. She was unsteady on her feet, staggering on the sidewalk, and in danger of being hit by traffic. He stopped and confronted the woman, Vogel at the Discount Tobacco Outlet. She had a strong odor of alcohol on her person and was placed under arrest.

As WJLE first reported on October 4, a man who allegedly broke into four vehicles and tried to steal a 2012 Bobcat T-750 and Caterpillar bucket from the car lot of Gill Automotive on East Broad Street has been charged with four counts of burglary and one count of theft of property over $1,000. He is also charged with violation of an order of protection in a separate case.

53-year-old Burnette Bernie Jones of 600 East Broad Street, Smithville will be in General Sessions Court on the charges November 15. His bond on these charges totals $150,000.

The incident occurred Sunday, October 2.

According to the complaint, Jones was observed on the auto dealer’s surveillance camera entering and driving a 2012 Bobcat T-750 in the back of the business. Jones was also observed trying to strap down a Caterpillar bucket to the 2012 Bobcat T-750. The total value of the 2012 Bobcat T-750 and Caterpillar bucket is $54,500.

While at the same business, Jones allegedly broke into a 2004 Black Nissan Maxima, a 2014 Black Chevrolet Silverado, a 2003 Red Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2008 Black Chrysler Sebring all parked at the car lot with the intent to deprive the owners of their belongings within these vehicles.

Meanwhile in the case of the order of protection violation, the complaint states that “on October 2 at about 1:45 p.m. Jones did go to the hotel room of the protected party and beat his fist on her door yelling and placing her in fear. There were several witnesses to this incident. Furthermore, Jones had also had several incidents of indirect communication with this woman prior to this incident. Jones was arrested and booked into the DeKalb County Jail for violation of an order of protection.

October 17, 2022
By:

Who makes the best chili in DeKalb County? Find out on Friday, October 28th when Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County hosts the 18th Annual Chili Cook-off and Bake Sale.

Chili will be served from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the DeKalb Courthouse Lawn. In case of rain, the event will be moved to the DeKalb County Complex Auditorium. For a cash donation, eat all the chili you want and vote for your favorite chili and the best decorated booth. Commemorative ceramic mugs will be available for $25, and include chili and a drink. Delicious baked goods prepared by members of local churches will also be for sale. Take out is also available.

“We are looking forward to another great day of good food and fellowship at the Chili Cook-off,” said Alex Woodward, president of Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County. “The proceeds from the event will be used toward building another Habitat house with a DeKalb County family, so we hope everyone will come out and eat lots of chili for a great cause!”

19 teams will be competing in the Chili Cook-off this year: “Top Gunners” from Amvets Post 101; “DCHS Biting Tigers” from DCHS FCCLA; “DeKalb Democrats” from the DeKalb County Democratic Party; “Great Bowls of Fire” from the DeKalb County Fire Department; “Dr. Crow’s Chili Shots” from DeKalb County Health Department; “The Courthouse Gang” from DeKalb County Officials; “Spot On Chili” from DeKalb Market; “Chil…i To the Bone” from DeKalb Prevention Coalition; “Snatched from the Fire” from First Baptist Church; “First Finest Chili” from FirstBank; “Blazin Broncos” from Galaxy Ford; “The Loan Rangers” from Liberty State Bank; “Marines” from Marine Corps League DeKalb VSO; “MTNG – Out of This World Chili” from Middle Tennessee Natural Gas; Smithville Electric System; State Farm, Mallory Pfingstler; “Legal Limit Spice” from the office of Tecia Puckett Pryor, Attorney-at-Law/Center Hill Title, LLC; “Tennessee ‘Meats’ Texas” from WY Forge Co; and “Hot Checks Chili” from Wilson Bank and Trust.

In 2021, “The Courthouse Gang” made a clean sweep with Top Chili Honors and Best Decorated Booth Awards. The DeKalb County Officials also earned the Golden Spoon Award by raising an additional $230.00 for Habitat in cash donations at their booth. A total of $5,500 was raised during the event.

Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity builds and renovates houses in partnership with volunteers and families in need, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.

For more information on the Chili Cook-off and Bake Sale, contact Tecia Pryor at 615-597-7370.

October 17, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Early voting begins Wednesday, October 19 and runs through November 3 for the State and Federal November 8 elections.

Early voting will be at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Smithville and for one day at the Fairgrounds in Alexandria.

Sample Ballot

Times for early voting are as follows: Mondays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Thursdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. until Noon.

The early voting date at the Fairgrounds is Thursday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m..

The hours for voting at the 12 precincts on Election Day, November 8th are 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Voters will be making their selections for Governor, Congressman and State Representative and voters in the 4th district only will have a candidate for Constable to fill an unexpired term. In addition, voters will be making their choices on four constitutional amendments.

Candidates for Governor are: Republican incumbent Bill Lee, Democratic nominee Jason Brantley Martin and Independents Constance M. Every, John Gentry, Basil Marceaux, Charles Van Morgan, Alfred O’Neil, Deborah Rouse, Michael E. Scantland and Rick Tyler.

Candidates for U.S House of Representatives District 6 are Republican incumbent John Rose and Democratic challenger Randal Cooper.

Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives District 40 are Republican Michael Hale and Democrat Tom Cook, both from DeKalb County.

The lone candidate for Constable in the 4th District is Republican Lane Ball.

The amendments deal with issues ranging from employment rights to a process for the temporary exercise of power of the governor to forever prohibiting slavery to deleting a section which prohibits ministers from holding a seat in the legislature.

In general terms, Constitutional Amendment #1 would add a new section to article XI to make it illegal for any person, corporation, association or the State of Tennessee or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person because of the person’s membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.

Constitutional Amendment #2 would add to Article III, Section 12 of the current constitution a process for the temporary exercise of powers and duties of the governor by the Speaker of the Senate (or the Speaker of the House if there is no Speaker of the Senate in office) when the governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

Constitutional Amendment #3 would change the language in article I, section 33 of the current constitution with “slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited. Nothing in this section shall prohibit an inmate from working when the inmate has been duly convicted of a crime.”

Constitutional Amendment #4 simply deletes article IX, section I of the current constitution which prohibits ministers of the gospel and priests of any denomination from holding a seat in either House of the legislature.

“Voters should note that the Amendments will be placed on the ballot directly after the Governor’s race,” Stanley said. “Amendments are presented as yes or no questions. A “yes” vote is a vote to amend the Constitution and adopt the proposed language in the amendment. A “no” vote is a vote to NOT amend the constitution and keep the current language in the Constitution unchanged,” he added.

For any amendment to pass, it must get more “yes” votes than “no” votes; and the number of “yes” votes must be a majority of the total votes in the gubernatorial election.

The hours for voting at the 12 precincts on Election Day, November 8, are 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.