The Carter County and Johnson County Sheriff’s Offices conducted a joint warrants operation Monday, leading to 16 arrests.
Carter County deputies took 14 wanted persons into custody, all on violation of probation or failure to appear charges. The original charges against the suspects included drug violations, theft, and driving under the influence. Johnson County deputies also arrested 2 persons on active warrants.
The round up is part of a push for a regional approach to law enforcement. Sheriff Dexter Lunceford intends to expand the warrants database his agency has created to include other agencies in the region.
“About 80 percent of your warrants are for misdemeanors,” Lunceford said. “Since misdemeanors aren’t entered into the national warrants database, that means other jurisdictions have no visibility of roughly 80 percent of your wanted persons.”
The joint operation between Johnson County and Carter County comes just weeks after a similar round up between Unicoi County and Carter County.
“These round ups are just the first step,” Lunceford said. “We’re setting the wheels in motion for regional law enforcement efforts. Technology has finally made it possible, we just have to find the right tools and put them to good use.”
Lunceford said that he is working with other agencies to coordinate more joint operations in the near future.
List of Suspects Arrested:
Scotty Wayne Robbins, age 48
Violation of Probation: Original Charges – Theft Under $500, Resisting Arrest
Tina Annette Glover, 45
Failure to Appear: Original Charges – Driving on Revoked License (2x), Shoplifting
Tommie Michele Dixon, 42
Violation of Probation: Original Charges – Promoting Manufacture of Methamphetamine (3x)
Victoria Nicole Cook, 23
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Shoplifting, Criminal Trespass
Angela Renee Reece, 48
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Shoplifting
Brent Dean Lewis, 25
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Possession of Schedule II
David Russell Compton, 36
Failure to Appear in Court in Reference to Child Support, Attachment for Contempt
Clarence Buddy Arnold, 55
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Promotion of Methamphetamine Manufacturing (27x)
Austin Paul Mills, 29
Failure to Appear: Original Charge – Shoplifting, Theft Under $500
Christopher Anthony Courtner, 22
Failure to Appear: Original Charge – Shoplifting
Michael David Guy, 48
Failure to Appear: Original Charge – Shoplifting
Carissa McFadden, 28
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Possession of Schedule III, Possession of Schedule IV
Richard Autrey Wittenberg, 79
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Driving Under the Influence
Brandy Michelle Dugger, 34 (Turned Self In)
Violation of Probation: Original Charge – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia