The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department made several arrests over the past few weeks, including two separate cases where credit cards were used without the owner’s permission.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, between February 7 and March 17, 37-year-old Molly Sue Lawrence of East Main Street, Dowelltown, allegedly used a Tennessee Way-2-Go card belonging to someone else to make several purchases totaling $5,432 without the consent of the card holder.
A sheriff’s department detective investigated the case and issued the warrant. Lawrence is under a $5,000 bond and she will be in court April 24.
In another case, on April 12, 39-year-old Melinda Beth Murphy of Frosty Point Road, Dowelltown, was arrested for fraudulent use of a credit card. She is under a $3,500 bond and her court date is April 24.
Sheriff Ray said that on March 31 and April 1 Murphy fraudulently used an EBT card at Walmart belonging to someone else to place multiple online grocery orders for pickup and delivery. The orders totaled $1,065.27. Murphy did not have consent of the card owner for the purchases. The case was also investigated by a sheriff’s detective.
In other sheriff’s news, on April 7, 38-year-old Christopher Eugene Layne of Bright Hill Road was arrested for public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court April 24.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that a deputy responded to multiple calls on Tabernacle Road about a male subject trying to get into the front door of a residence. The deputy made contact with Layne, who was standing in a neighbor’s yard. He had pinpoint pupils, and he was acting erratically. For his safety and that of the public, Layne was arrested for public intoxication.
On April 9, 65-year-old Charles Anthony Farless of Short Mountain Road, Woodbury, was charged with public intoxication. He is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is April 24.
Sheriff Ray said that a deputy was dispatched to Pea Ridge Road where a male subject was reported to be knocking on doors. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Farless who was unsteady on his feet, had slurred speech, and his pupils constricted. For his safety and that of the public, Farless was arrested for public intoxication.
On April 11, 46-year-old Gregory Wayne Roberts of Rodonna Drive, Smithville, was arrested for resisting arrest. He is under a $2,500 bond and will be in court on April 24.
Sheriff Ray said that a deputy made contact with Roberts, who had active warrants against him, but he ran out the door of a camper. After a brief foot pursuit, Roberts was apprehended.
On April 13, 35-year-old Jerry Donald Cantrell of Adcock Cemetery Road was arrested for domestic assault. He is under a $3,500 bond and will be in court May 1.
Sheriff Ray said that Cantrell allegedly spat in his mother’s face and aggressively pushed his head against hers in an aggressive manner, making threats, while in a vehicle on the way to Adcock Cemetery Road.
On April 16, 29-year-old Zackery Alexander Walker of Green Hill Road, Smithville, was arrested for methamphetamine manufacture deliver sell or possess, possession of drug paraphernalia. He is under a $11,500 bond and is due in court on May 1.
According to Chief Deputy Brian Williams, a deputy was dispatched to the area of Big Rock Road, to investigate two males on bicycles. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Walker and another man. Authorities say that as he was riding past the patrol car, Walker reached into his left pocket and dropped something out.
The deputy found a glass pipe with residue, and after a search of his person and bicycle, another pipe with residue was found in a black bag, along with a clear baggy with a crystal-like substance believed to be meth, weighing .66 grams.
On April 18, 44-year-old Nathan Todd Cooke of Sparta, was arrested for aggravated assault and violation of an order of protection. He is under a $10,000 total bond and is due in court on May 1.
Chief Williams said that a deputy responded to Johnsons Chapel Recreation Area on a report of a domestic assault. A caller reported a man hitting a female.
Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Cooke and a female who stated that she and her husband, Cooke, had been arguing when he pulled her by her hair out of a truck. After running the couple’s information through dispatch, it was learned that Cooke was under a modified order of protection out of White County, concerning the female victim. He was placed in custody.
On April 19, 32-year-old Dustin Paul Summers of Smithville, was arrested for public intoxication, two counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale deliver or manufacture, manufacture deliver sell of possess of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is under a $106,500 bond and will appear in court on May 8.
Chief Williams reported that a deputy responded to 1071 Midway Road on a report of a female screaming. Upon arrival authorities made contact with Summers sitting in his vehicle, yelling out his window at Faith Baptist Church on Midway Road.
Deputies say that Summers appeared to be under the influence and was not making sense, talking about martial law and how he was going to kill police and getting his orders from President Trump.
Deputies asked Summers to roll his window down to determine if he was under the influence or having a medical emergency, but he refused. While they were talking to the man, another deputy was able to open the passenger door. They then removed Summers from his vehicle and placed him in custody.
A search of the man revealed a container with a crystal-like substance believed to be meth. A search of the vehicle revealed a bag containing drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and more crystal-like substance.
That same day, 77-year-old Sharon Lois Moody of Smithville was arrested for domestic assault. She is under a $2,500 bond and will be in court on May 1.
A deputy responded to Jacobs Pillar Road in reference to a physical domestic call. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Moody and two other subjects, one who advised that Moody, her grandmother, had struck her in the face and pinched her during an argument. Moody admitted to striking the victim because she did not like the way she was talking to her.
On April 20, 31-year-old Gerado Morales of Smithville, was arrested for domestic assault. He is under a $3,500 bond and due in court on May 8.
A deputy responded to Blue Springs Road in reference to domestic abuse. Upon arrival the deputy made contact with two females, who stated that one of the female’s husband, Morales, and a female got into an argument when she slapped his arms to get him away from her daughter. He then slapped her across the face, causing swelling and bruising.
Also that day, 22-year-old Lucas Diaz Ruiz of Watertown, was arrested for DUI and driving without a license. He is under a $5,000 bond and will be in court on May 8.
A deputy was dispatched to Nashville Highway on a report of a reckless driver. Multiple callers reported a driver driving on the wrong side of the road, almost striking other vehicles.
The deputy made contact with a maroon Honda Civic driving in the wrong lane of travel in Liberty. After a traffic stop, deputies found Ruiz, who did not have a valid driver’s license, had red bloodshot eyes, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person.
Ruiz was reportedly chugging a container of water when stopped, and authorities noticed extensive damage to the vehicle. He admitted to consuming two to four beers a couple of hours before the incident.
