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PrintJudge Susan Melton presided over General Sessions Court on Tuesday. Some of the results of the various cases that appeared on the docket included:
David Jason Bynum pled guilty to assault. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. In addition to that case Bynum pled guilty to 2 counts of harassment. In each count he was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. Bynum’s charge of theft was bound over to the May term of the Grand Jury.
Brock Wayne Francis pled guilty under judicial diversion to two counts simple possession. In each count he was placed on probation for 11 months 29 days.
Donald Wayne Smith pled guilty to two counts of assault. In each count he was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
Jamie Jones agreed to the violation of her probation. She was ordered to serve 15 days and her probation was extended 11 months 15 days.
Kevin Blake Gannon’s charges of possession of a schedule II drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a dwelling for drug use and initiating the manufacture of methamphetamine were bound over to the May term of the Grand Jury.
William Prater pled guilty to underage consumption. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 5 days, equal time on probation and paying the costs.
Bethany Tate Elrod agreed to the violation of her probation she was ordered to serve 60 days and her probation was extended 10 months 29 days.
Terry Tramel agreed to the violation of his probation. He was ordered to serve his original sentence of 11 months 29 days in jail. In another case Tramel pled guilty to domestic assault. He was sentenced to 11 months 29 days in jail.
Callie Combs’ charge of promotion of methamphetamine manufacture was bound over to the May term of the Grand Jury.
Ricky Christopher Cooper’s charges of initiating the manufacture of methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for drug use and evading arrest was bound over to the May term of the Grand Jury.
CIRCUIT COURT
PROBATION VIOLATIONS
Connie Chapman Ashford agreed she violated her probation, ordered to serve 30 days and her probation was extended for 10 months and 25 days effective upon her release.
Dakota Trey Jones agreed he violated his probation. A hearing was held to determine the appropriate penalty for his violation. Jones was ordered to serve his original sentence of four years after the hearing.
State vs. Timothy Mears agreed he violated his probation, ordered released on basis of time served from February 15 and his original five year probation to be reinstated effective on his release and his agreement to serve his sentence if he violates probation again.
Paul Emerson Walker agreed he violated his probation. A hearing was held to determine the appropriate penalty for his violation. Walker was ordered to serve his original sentence of twelve years after the hearing.
PLEAS
Michael Mason Butcher entered a plea of guilty to charges of manufacture of a schedule VI drug, marijuana, and the possession of a schedule I drug. Butcher was sentenced to four years on each count. His sentence was suspended based on his time served and he was placed on four years probation, ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and court costs on each count. The court ordered that Butcher forfeit any property seized during the search.
Markita Jones, a co-defendant of Michael Butcher, entered a plea of guilty to charges of manufacture of a schedule VI drug, marijuana, and the possession of a schedule III drug. She received a sentence of two years on the Schedule VI drug count and four years on the schedule III count. Her sentence was also suspended based on her time served. She was placed on four years probation, ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and court costs on each count and ordered to forfeit any property seized during the search.
Jeremy Brian Cope entered a plea of guilty to one count of selling a schedule II drug. He received a six year sentence to serve, a $2,000 fine and cost. Cope was on probation at the time he was arrested. He agreed he violated his probation on an earlier conviction and was ordered to serve the his sentence on the earlier charge concurrently with his new sentence.
Gina McCutcheon entered two pleas of guilty to vehicular homicide by the reckless operation of a motor vehicle. McCutcheon was originally charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication however Trevor Lynch, the attorney for the state, indicated there was concern about whether the blood test would be admissible and in exchange for McCutcheon’s plea, agreed to reduce the charges. McCutcheon entered a plea pursuant to the diversion statute and was placed on diversion for six years on each count.
Barry C. Bogle entered a plea of guilty to manufacture of methamphetamine received a six year suspended sentence, a $2,000 fine and costs. He was ordered to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment as part of his probation and follow any recommendations from the assessment.
Charles Nicholas May entered a plea of guilty to charges of aggravated burglary and burglary to an automobile. May received a six year sentence on the aggravated burglary and two year sentence on the auto burglary. Those sentences are to run concurrently but consecutive to all of his prior convictions. May will be placed on state supervised probation for a period of six years after he completes the sentence he is currently serving as a result of his pleas.
Kerrie A. Miles entered a plea of guilty to theft of property under $500. She was sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days in the county jail, to be suspended, ordered to pay restitution and stay away from the premises of the offense.
Stephanie B. Thompson entered a plea of guilty to driving under the influence, second offense. She was sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days in the county jail. She was ordered to serve forty-five days and the balance to be suspended to be served on supervised probation. She was ordered to pay a $600 fine and lost her driver’s license for two years. She was ordered to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and follow any recommendations.
Daniel Antoine Winters entered a plea of guilty to the charge of driving while his license was cancelled, suspended or revoked. He was sentenced to six months in the county jail. His sentence was suspended based on the fifteen days he had already served in jail. He is to be placed on probation for five months and fourteen days, ordered to pay the costs.
Cannon County Sheriff's Department
Escaped Inmate recaptured
Frank Warnack was charged with felony escape following his recapture by the Cannon County Sheriff's Department.
Warnack stripped out of his orange and white prison gear and was spotted wearing white shorts running from the jail down Doolitte Road. He was apprehended on Brandon Lane a short distance from Doolittle.
Vandalism, simple possession
Two men were arrested by the Cannon County Sheriff's Department after one of them tossed an egg at a patrol car.
Taken into custody were Nathan Glen McGuire and Nathan Lawson.
Deputy Joshua Thomas was traveling west on McMinnville Highway when he saw a car swerve across the center line and heard a “loud pop against the side of my patrol car.”
Thomas turned and pursued the vehicle, which was identified as a 2004 Chevy Impala. When he activated his emergency lights, the car pulled over just past Gassaway Road. Thomas called for backup and Deputy Mike Hainey responded along with Woodbury Patrol officers Kal Stoetzel and Eric Moss.
McGuire, who was driving, admitted throwing the egg. He was charged with reckless driving and vandalism. Deputy Hainey spotted a set of digital scales on the passenger side of the car. Officer Stoetzel discovered a second set of digital scales. A small amount of marijuana was also discovered on the passenger side of the car.
Lawson was subsequently charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
DUI second offense
Jason Mace was charged with DUI, driving on a suspended license (second offense) and financial responsibility following an single-car crash on Burt Bergen Road. Making the arrest was Deputy Jordan McGee. Mace had been previously charged with DUI in Missouri.
DUI
Thomas Guy Huyck was charged with DUI following his arrest by Deputy Randy Wildes on John Bragg Highway.
Driving on suspended license
Ralph Edward McIntyre Jr. was charged with driving on a suspended license (second offense) and with a violation of the light law by Deputy Jordan McGee.
Sex Offender Registration
Troy Dean Hale was charged with with five violations of community supervision for life warrants and one for violation of the Sex Offenders Registration program. A hearing is set for April 29.
Theft investigated
An assortment of Corvette parts were reported stolen on CL Barrett Road.
Warrants served
Andrea C. Bynum for harassment.
Stephen A. Throckmorton for theft.
Robert T. Lee for violation of probation on sale of a Schedule III drug.
Desiree M. Andrews for violation of probation.
Stephanie Mooneyham for theft of property.
Randall Council for sale of a Schedule III drug.
Robyn Wilmoth for violation of probation (theft of property).
Donna McPeak for violation of probation (manufacture of meth, maintaining a dwelling and possession of a firearm.)
Woodbury Police
Christopher M. Johnson was charged with driving on a suspended license by Patrolman Brent Brock. A hearing is set for May 14 in General Sessions Court.
‘Boro police officer arrested
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Murfreesboro police officer in connection to a misconduct investigation.
The TBI formally began investigating Officer Bryant Scott Smith on October 16, 2013, at the request of the police department and District Attorney General Bill Whitesell. Special agents determined that during the summer of 2013 Smith compromised ongoing vice and narcotic operations by providing the name of at least one potential confidential informant to a citizen of Rutherford County with a criminal history that includes offenses related to the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics.
The 10-year veteran officer later admitted his involvement in the incident, after which the Murfreesboro Police Department placed him on administrative leave with pay.
On Monday, the Rutherford County Grand Jury returned a two-count sealed indictment against the 42-year-old, charging him with Official Misconduct and Misuse of Official Information. TBI agents arrested him this afternoon without incident at the Rutherford County Jail. After being booked, Smith was released on a $5,000 bond.
