Tuesday, November 25, 2014 11:19 am

MIKE WEST, Courier Editor

Sheriff's Office investigators recovered $93,223 in cash stolen from an elderly Cannon County man while he was at church on Nov. 16.

Two suspects, who were identified as relatives of the elderly victim, were arrested and charged with theft over $60,000, burglary and vandalism by Investigators Brandon Gullett and Chris Brown. Their names are being withheld to protect the victim.

It took a trip to Sequatchie County to recover the cash which was hidden in a blue cooler under a mountain side trailer.

Gullett and Brown, accompanied by officers from the Sequatchie County Sheriff's Department, made contact with the suspects there. Initially, they denied any knowledge of the theft.

"I introduced myself as Investigator Gullett with the Cannon County Sheriff's Office," the investigator said. Immediately, the male suspect refused to cooperate. His wife became loud and said, "What is going on?"
"I advised (her) that I didn't drive two hours to Dunlap for nothing. I then advised (her) that she had something that was taken from my county that I needed back," Gullett said.

The female suspect initially denied any knowledge of the theft.

"(She) stated that she didn't know what I was talking about as she was shaking her head 'yes.' " Gullett said.
After some further discussion, the male suspect stood up, put his coat on and led officers outside where he pulled the cooler from under the trailer.

"I then opened the cooler and observed that it was full of U.S. currency," Gullett continued.
The cooler and its contents were then photographed and returned to the Cannon County Sheriff's Department.

"I then, along with Investigator Brown, counted the U.S. currency, which totaled $93,223. The U.S. currency was in the form of $88,100 in hundreds, $4,480 in twenties, $390 in tens, $110 in fives and $143 in singles," Gullett said.

The following day, the cash was returned to its rightful owner. The suspects' 2004 Chevy Trailblazer was confiscated as well.