January 30, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
A Murfreesboro man believed responsible for picking up two DCHS students trying to run away fifteen months ago has been arrested.
22-year-old Jon Paul Russ of Murfreesboro is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court February 15.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on or about October 28, 2022 Russ was operating a 2014 Ford Escape on Tiger Drive near the health department when he picked up two juveniles who had just left DCHS without permission and intended to run away from home. One of the juveniles was in state custody and living at the New Frontiers Boys Home in Dowelltown. The other was under probation in DeKalb County. The missing teen information on both juveniles was entered into the National Crime Information Center. One of them was found in Murfreesboro on October 29, 2022. The case was investigated by the school resource officer. The warrant was signed on Russ November 2, 2022 and sent to the Murfreesboro Police Department on November 4, 2022. He was arrested only recently.
Two convicted felons found with a handgun during a traffic stop Friday have been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
43-year-old Cameron Michael Hudgens of Sparta and 34-year-old Candace Star Short of Doyle are each under a $26,000 bond and will appear in court February 8.
Sheriff Ray said that on January 26 a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white Nissan Altima for an improper display of tags. After obtaining consent, the officer searched the vehicle and found a Phoenix .22 caliber handgun between the passenger seat and center console. The two occupants of the vehicle, Hudgens and Short both admitted to being convicted felons but neither claimed ownership of the firearm.
30-year-old Trista Denise Armour of the Loop, Smithville is charged with filing a false report. Her bond is $7,500 and she will be in court February 8.
Sheriff Ray said that on January 3 Armour gave a voluntary written statement about an incident that led to the arrest of a defendant but then later changed her story resulting in the false report charge against her.