Oak Ridge Today

Former Anderson County commissioner, teacher indicted in alleged church theft

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James Michael Cox

James Michael Cox

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:15 a.m. Feb. 12.

A former Anderson County commissioner, commission chair, and teacher has been indicted on one count of theft over $60,000 from a church in Rocky Top, authorities said.

James Michael “Mike” Cox surrendered at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Thursday afternoon, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said.

Cox was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on the Class B felony on February 2.

The theft of about $100,000 is alleged to have occurred from Longfield Baptist Church in Rocky Top, the former Lake City, between June 1, 2011, and December 1, 2014, Clark said. [Read more…]

Two arrested after alleged dirt bike theft, police car hit, authorities say

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Charles Ray Eller

Charles Ray Eller

Two men who admitted stealing a trailer and dirt bikes early Monday morning have been charged with theft and evading arrest, and the driver of the fleeing pickup truck has been charged with aggravated assault after trying to strike one Oak Ridge Police Department vehicle and backing up and hitting another, authorities said.

Police officers received the report of the trailer and dirt bike theft at about 2:45 a.m. Monday, August 31, at 208 South Illinois Avenue, an area near two hotels. The trailer and dirt bike were estimated to have a value of at least $10,000.

In arrest warrants, ORPD Officer Kyle Scott said he saw Charles R. Eller, 27, who is listed as a transient, and Joshua R. Hannifin, 29, of Oak Ridge, at that location, near a trailer that matched the given description. The trailer was attached to a black Ford F150 pickup truck, Scott said.

When Eller and Hannifin saw him, the officer said, they quickly got into the truck and fled. Scott said he chased them with his lights and sirens on. [Read more…]

Video, picture: Help CPD catch a theft suspect

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Scrap Metal Solutions Theft

Clinton Police Department detectives are looking for a suspect (or suspects) involved in the burglary of Scrap Metal Solutions on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway.

According to the initial investigation, it’s believed the break-in occurred sometime during the weekend.

“We’re asking you to take a look at this video,” the CPD said. “If you know the suspect or have any information, please contact Lieutenant Carl Bailey or Detective Jason Lawson at (865) 457-3112.”

See the video here: [Read more…]

Clinton police seek help finding driver in horse trailer theft

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The Clinton Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding the vehicle pictured here. The driver is wanted for questioning in the theft of a horse trailer from Fox Toyota this past weekend, authorities said.

If you can provide any information, call CPD Lieutenant Carl Bailey or Detective Jason Lawson at (865) 457-3112.

20150406out3 [Read more…]

Former Scott County deputy nabbed in TBI theft, misconduct case

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Cody Scott Yancey

Cody Scott Yancey

Special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have obtained indictments for a former Scott County Sheriff’s Department deputy accused of misconduct, authorities said. The deputy allegedly entered his department’s temporary evidence storage and removed multiple pieces of drug evidence, the TBI said.

At the request of Eighth District Attorney General Jared Effler, TBI special agents began investigating Cody Scott Yancey on October 16, 2014, a press release said.

“During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that on several occasions between September 22 and October 14, Yancey made illegal entry into his department’s temporary evidence storage and removed multiple pieces of drug evidence,” the release said. [Read more…]

WYSH: $1,800 worth of camera equipment stolen from Clinton Walmart

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Clinton Police Department is investigating the theft of more than $1,800 worth of digital cameras from the Walmart in Clinton.

Police were called to the store on Saturday afternoon and told by a loss prevention officer that a white male had opened an unlocked display case, removed a Sony camcorder, four Canon digital cameras, and a Samsung digital camera. The items were valued at $1,804 total.

The suspect then allegedly took the cameras to the sporting goods department, removed them from their packages, and concealed them in his clothing before walking out with out paying for them. The suspect was seen getting into a car and driving off, but the tag came back as being registered to a black male from Knoxville.

The investigation is ongoing.

Sheriff: Man caught driving stolen tow truck after burglary, carjacking in Marlow

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John Joseph Pixley II

John Joseph Pixley II

An Oliver Springs man was arrested Friday after he was caught driving a tow truck that he had allegedly stolen after an assault and burglary on Talley Lane in Marlow, authorities said.

John Joseph Pixley II, 27, has been charged with aggravated burglary, burglary, property theft, motor vehicle theft, two counts of aggravated assault, and carjacking, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said.

In a press release, White said the homeowner had observed a truck on her surveillance cameras, and a suspect, later identified as Pixley, was seen walking around her residence. The owner called the Sheriff’s Communications Center around 8:30 a.m. Friday to report the incident, left work, and drove home. [Read more…]

Warrants: Man armed with knife tried to kidnap two children

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Justin Len Williams

Justin Len Williams

An Oak Ridge man allegedly broke into a home this month, assaulted the mother of his children, threw a five-inch kitchen knife at a man at the home, and tried to kidnap two kids, authorities said.

Justin L. Williams, 23, is accused of going upstairs at the Knoll Lane home armed with a five-inch kitchen knife and confronting the woman in the hall, shoving her against a door and to the floor, and assaulting her again outside while taking her car keys to get child seats, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The woman, who had a laceration to her right big toe, reportedly called 911 on her cell phone during the assault at about 4:18 a.m. January 14, the warrants said. [Read more…]

Former IHOP server suspected of taking money by changing credit card receipts

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A former server at IHOP Restaurant in Oak Ridge is suspected of taking an unknown amount of money from customers by changing the tip amounts on several credit card and debit card receipts, authorities said.

The suspected thefts occurred between October 1 and December 28, an Oak Ridge Police Department report said.

It’s not clear how much money might have been taken during a period estimated to be about two months. ORPD Officer Garrett L. Robbins reported that the IHOP regional manager who reported the suspected theft is still calculating how much might have been taken.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Suspect arrested in GameStop robbery, Walmart theft

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Ernest James Glenn

Ernest James Glenn

Oak Ridge police have arrested a Knoxville man who is suspected of grabbing a Playstation 4 from an employee on GameStop on August 9 before fleeing, and stealing a computer from Walmart on July 28 by going out a fire door in the lawn and garden section.

Ernest James Glenn, 28, of Merchant Drive in Knoxville, was arrested Sunday by Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Garrett Robbins. Glenn has been charged with robbery and theft over $500, and he remains jailed at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton.

The alleged Playstation theft at GameStop in Oak Ridge has been classified as a robbery, according to warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. [Read more…]

Sheriff offers holiday crime prevention tips

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Paul White

Paul White

Many people can become victims of burglary, theft, and other crimes during the holidays, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has released crime prevention tips.

In a press release, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said the department hopes to help residents have safe and fun holidays.

Shopping

[Read more…]

Letter: Sheriff vows to continue crime-fighting, make county safer place

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Paul White

Paul White

To the Editor:

Since I was first elected in 2006, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has implemented many changes and programs to better serve the citizens of Anderson County.

The Sheriff’s Department was reorganized to be more efficient and more effective. Emphasis has been placed on enforcement for the prevention, detection, and investigation of crimes. This reorganization has placed more deputies on patrol and investigating crimes, resulting in more arrests and crimes solved.

We have focused the efforts of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department on drug enforcement and in reducing property crimes such as burglary and theft. These efforts have paid off as overall crime numbers have fallen and are continuing to decrease.

Crime prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch were reinstated and a dedicated crime prevention officer works hand-in-hand with the community to help in reducing crime. [Read more…]