A frightened Rutherford County woman crouched in a closet and dialed 911 after she heard two men breaking into her home before noon Wednesday on Asbury Lane.

But a burglar alarm scared the men out of Rashonda Johnson’s house. When they backed out of the driveway, Sheriff’s Deputy James Davis arrived and turned on his blue lights and siren to stop the suspects.

Driver Jeremy Marable, 19, and his 20-year-old brother, Julius, of the Woodlands apartments, ignored Davis who gave pursuit with Deputy Will Lehew.

Davis said Deputies pursued the brothers on Asbury Lane to Medical Center Parkway and John Rice Boulevard where the suspects struck one car. Marable drove back onto John Rice Boulevard and struck a second driver head-on on at the corner of Gresham Lane and John Rice Boulevard. The driver was treated at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crashes.

At the crash scene, both brothers fled. Davis nabbed Julius Marable while Cpl. David Foote captured Jeremy Marable about one mile away.

Davis charged Jeremy Marable with aggravated assault of the two drivers struck, theft and felony evading arrest. He charged Julius Marable with evading arrest and theft.

Detective Richard Brinkley charged the brothers with two counts of aggravated burglary after he linked them to a second burglary nearby on Holiday Court.

Patrol Sgt. Mike George found a card with a person’s name at the crash scene and notified dispatchers who located an address. George and Cpl. Tyler Morton drove to Phillip and Holly Davis’ home on Holiday Drive nearby where they found someone broke into the home.

Most of the property stolen from the Davis’ home was linked to the brothers and returned to the couple.

The Marables are being held at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. A hearing is set Jan. 17 in General Sessions Court.

Lt. Philip Martin processed both crime scenes for evidence. The case remains under investigation.

A fugitive wanted for child sexual abuse charges in Franklin County was nabbed Tuesday while hiding in a Murfreesboro motel, Rutherford County Sheriff’s officers said.

Defendant Michael Clifford Smith, 33, of Winchester was wanted for rape of a child under age 13 and aggravated sexual battery in Franklin County, reported Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller.

Rutherford County Detective Chuck Thomas, who is assigned to the U.S. Marshals, said marshals in Chattanooga passed along information Smith was staying in a Murfreesboro motel. Thomas located Smith at Motel 6 on Chaffin Lane.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau and the Special Response Team joined Thomas in capturing Smith, said Rutherford County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Kauffman, commander of the Felony Arrest Search Tactical Team.

“Smith was located in a motel room where he had been hiding in an attempt to avoid capture from Franklin County authorities,” Kauffman reported. “Smith was taken into custody without incident and booked into the RCSO Adult Detention Center with a hold for Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.”

Smith was transferred to Franklin County where he is supposed to be in court Jan. 10.

One mother spent Christmas night in jail after she allegedly slipped illegal drugs to a trustee Christmas afternoon at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, a deputy reported.

Suspect Frances Robinson, 31, of 1325 Wenlon Drive, was charged with the felony charge of bringing contraband into a penal institution by Deputy Aaron Scicolone.

Scicolone escorted a trustee into a storage room to obtain cleaning chemicals and saw Robinson allegedly slide a pack of cigarettes to the trustee. When Robinson noticed Scicolone, she took her two children and left the visitation area.

The deputy picked up the cigarettes and a gallon zip lock bag containing what appeared to be marijuana and medications including Lortabs, Xanax and morphine. The bag also contained tobacco, rolling papers, a lighter and sunflower seeds. Another bag of tobacco was found in the chemical room.

Visitation deputies detained Robinson and notified narcotics Detective Sedric Fields who questioned her. She was charged and booked. A family member picked up the children.

She was released the next day after posting a $16,500 bond. A hearing is set Jan. 25 in General Sessions Court. She was visiting her husband, Steve, at the time.

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold said Scicolone did an outstanding job in stopping Robinson before the drugs, tobacco and lighter reached inmates.

“She will be banned from the property,” Arnold said of Robinson.

Visitors who try to pass contraband will be arrested, the sheriff said.

“If you try to slip contraband to inmates, we will be obliged to reunite you with your family member at 940 New Salem Highway,” Arnold said.

Thanks to a neighbor’s watchful eye, Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies nabbed a burglary suspect when he walked out of the victim’s house with his pockets stuffed with stolen jewelry, deputies said.

A neighbor called the sheriff’s office about 11 a.m. to report she saw a man breaking out a window at a home nearby, Cpl. David Foote reported. Deputies responded within two minutes to Brandy Simmons’ home on Bridle Drive where they saw the man walking out of the home. Foote and Deputy Mark Barnes asked the man what he was doing.

“Trying to steal,” replied suspect Patrick S. Laforest, 22, who lives a few houses down from Simmons.

Foote searched Laforest and recovered a jewelry box containing rings and a necklace and loose jewelry including rings, earrings and another necklace.

Before being taken to jail, Laforest said he suffered a panic attack so he was taken to Middle Tennessee Medical Center. While at the hospital, Laforest asked Barnes, “How did you know I was breaking in?”

Sgt. Mike George credited the neighbor for calling the sheriff’s office immediately when she saw a man breaking into the home.

“Thanks to a very concerned and observant neighbor,” George said. “She was paying attention. That’s the key. It’s people like that who help us to do our jobs.”

After being released, Barnes took Laforest to Rutherford County Adult Detention Center where Foote charged him with aggravated burglary, theft, vandalism and possession of burglary tools. Laforest remains in jail after his bond was tripled to $39,000 because he was out on bond for other charges. A hearing is set Feb. 15 in General Sessions Court.

George, Lt. Britt Reed, Lt. Ty Downing and Deputy James Davis backed up Foote and Barnes for the initial call. Detective Lt. Todd Sparks and Detective Richard Brinkley responded. Brinkley seized Laforest’s Honda he drove to Simmons’ home.

Citizens who see burglars breaking into homes and vehicles are asked to call the sheriff’s office immediately at 898-7770 and if possible give a description of the suspect, a vehicle and a license plate number.

Foote reminded citizens to lock car doors to deter burglars from breaking in and stealing property.

When a killer tornado devastated Rutherford County in 2009, volunteers outside the county pitched in to help.

Now, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office’s Explorer Post 106 wants to return the favor.

Explorers are collecting non perishable food, canned food and toiletries for the citizens of Center Point, Ala., north of Birmingham, Ala., who were devastated by tornadoes, said sheriff’s Cpl. Scot Appleton, an Explorer’s Post advisor. People may also donate gift cards.

“I learned they were hard hit by the tornado,” Appleton said, explaining the Rutherford County Explorers will coordinate donations hopefully with Center Point Police Department’s Explorers.

People who wish to contribute may leave the items at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office’s lobby between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 940 New Salem Highway.

“I think it would be a good thing for the Explorer Post to help out another law enforcement agency,” Appleton said. “I think it’s a good idea to set an example for these kids to help others out.”

For more information, contact co-advisors Andy Pugh at 427-2220, Jerry Buchanan at 390-9964 or Appleton at 306-5414.

Two of the three suspects were wanted on federal drug charges in the Western District of Kentucky while the third suspect was wanted for an armed robbery charge in Maryland, said Detective Chuck Thomas, who is assigned to the task force.

Suspects Demetrius Fitzgerald and Deanndria Moore, who were wanted on the drug charges, were tracked to Smyrna by the marshals. The Sheriff’s Special Response Team and the marshals located Moore at County Village Apartments in Smyrna.

Fitzgerald was found working at Parthenon Metals in La Vergne, Thomas said.

Both Fitzgerald and Moore were taken to Nashville and transferred to Paducah, Ky.

Marshals received a tip suspect Justin O’Donnell was staying in Smyrna, the detective said. Marshals arrested him at his girlfriend’s home at Fairway Meadows Apartments in Smyrna. He was wanted for the robbery in Montgomery County, Maryland.

O’Donnell was taken to Wilson County for a failure to appear charge and will be extradited to Maryland.

The U.S. Marshals Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force served 3,013 felony warrants during 2011. Of those warrants, 1,029 were probation, parole and community corrections violations warrants.

People may drop off donations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Rutherford County Courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro and Sam’s Club on John Rice Boulevard. Also, Explorers will collect the goods from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office lobby at 940 New Salem Highway. Donations will be accepted at the sheriff’s office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until Feb. 3.

Explorers will deliver the collected items to the Explorer Post Feb. 4 to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said Cpl. Scot Appleton, the Explorer’s co-advisor.

“The Explorers (in Alabama) are excited about working with us,” Appleton said. “The sheriff’s office said the need is great.”

For more information, contact co-advisors Andy Pugh at 427-2220, Jerry Buchanan at 390-9964 or Appleton at 306-5414.

Rutherford County’s School Resource Officers’ program crossed an international border when the only original county SROs trained Guam officers and educators to initiate a new SRO program.

The National Association of School Resource Officers contracted with Guam’s Department of Education to train about 35 school administrators, probation officers, educators, law enforcement officers and community aides about the program. Rutherford County SRO Sgt. Bill West, a regional NASRO director and former president in 2000, and instructors from Georgia and Texas, taught the 10-day class paid by Guam.

West was one of five original officers when Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and Rutherford County Schools partnered to begin the SRO program in 1993, the first in Tennessee. West is a supervisor and is assigned as the SRO at Brown’s Chapel Elementary. There are now 44 SROs in all Rutherford County Schools with the K-5 SROs split between two elementary schools apiece.

Several Rutherford County SROs teach aspects of the program and specialty-related classes in Tennessee and throughout the U.S.

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold said West’s selection to teach in Guam was a “great honor for Rutherford County to send him over there with no cost to the county.”

Teaching in Guam reminded West of when the program began at Riverdale, Oakland and La Vergne high schools and Smyrna and Central Middle schools.

“It kind of took me back 18 years ago when we started the program, how we blended two worlds together, law enforcement and education,” West recalled. “I think the SRO program has been very effective from Day One when we were allowed to get involved with the school and be a resource for the kids and families as well as the faculty and staff.”

The basic class in Guam covered the history, roles and responsibilities of the SRO and how NASRO emphasizes the triad concept of the SRO as law enforcement officer, educator and counselor in the school. The instructors discussed families, adolescents, school safety and security issues.

“It also helps train the new officers to be most effective in classroom settings while being able to get in and teach,” West explained.

West primarily taught the management class to administrators and police supervisors about the selection process, evaluations and foundations of school-based policing programs.

“Sheriff Arnold is a big supporter and believes in the mission of our program and allows us to teach for NASRO,” West said.

Capt. Barry Hendrixson said the SROs teach a variety of classes to other law enforcement officers, SROs, school administrators and educators.

Hendrixson has taught gang training in Rutherford County, Memphis and Dyersburg, Tenn.

Lt. Brad Harrison teaches crisis planning for school systems and active shooter training for law enforcement response. He developed and administered the crisis planning for Rutherford County Schools, which is modeled in Tennessee and other states. He serves as the Rutherford County Response Committee representative for the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

“We teach at the Tennessee Association for School Resource Officers every year and at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy,” Harrison said.

SRO Kerry Nelson is a NASRO instructor, SRO Jason Urban teaches for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of Tennessee, SRO Dustin Cox teaches Collision Avoidance Training and SRO Bobby Farley teaches basic child abuse awareness for educators in training. SROs teach rape aggression defense and coordinate the Teen Education Alcohol Management programs about drinking under age.

SROs have taught classes for teachers at in-service and at MTSU and at community colleges too.

Sgt. Patty Hillis and SRO John Acton helped create the Senior Citizens Awareness Network to help mostly homebound seniors who may need help for home repairs and safety.

Hendrixson said the Rutherford County SRO program has earned several national awards such as SRO Program of the Year, Model SRO Agency in 2000 and Exemplary School Safety Program in 2010.

“It shows our SRO division has won national awards and is recognized as one of the best in the country and internationally,” Hendrixson said.

Awarding those that exemplify what it means to excel, Control4 names Top Dealers of 2011.

Murfreesboro, TN – September 22, 2011 — Control4 announced the winners of its 2011 Dealer Awards. Now in its third year, the annual Control4® Dealer Awards recognizes dealers for superior business practices, service and technical support to clients, and sales volume. Awards include recognizing excellence in Control4 projects in categories such as lighting, multi-room audio, security, climate, and retrofit.

“The Control4 Dealer Awards give us the opportunity to reward and recognize dealers who are looking at everything from the ‘Old Dog, New Trick’ approach to dealers that pushed a Control4 system to the limit to enhance the customer’s life,” said Jim Arnold, Senior Vice President of Sales for Control4. “These are dealers that are going above and beyond to exemplify what it means to be a great dealer.”

For the second year in a row, Control4 has named Abt Electronics & Appliances as its Dealer of the Year for 2011. The Control4 Tech Support Choice Award, which is voted on by the Control4 Tech Support team for offering superior technical support and knowledge, went to Symbiotic Integrations, Inc.

The following dealers were also recognized with Project Awards:

•             Control4 Million Dollar Club: Abt Electronics & Appliances, Diem Digital Interiors, Kraus Hi-Tech Home Automation Inc., DM Home Entertainment, LLC, Applause Custom Sight & Sound, and Phoenix Unequaled Home Entertainment

•             Inside Sales Choice Award: Audio Den, LTD (Northeast), Merlin Home Technologies LLC (Southeast), HomeVision Solutions, Inc (Central), Infinity Audio Video Solutions, LLC (Midwest), Liberty Bell Alarm & Home Theater (West), Encore Audio/Video (Northwest), Starwatch Audio Video (Canada)

•             Top Volume: AVI (Northeast), Neu Wave Systems, Inc (Southeast), Millennium Sounds Inc. (Central), Diem Digital Interiors (Midwest), iWired (West), Beyond Hi-Fi LLC (Northwest), Audio Warehouse (Canada)

•             Region MVP: Sound & Vision, INC (Northeast), Today’s Home & Leisure (Southeast), A.C.E. Alarms, Inc. (Central), Onyx Theaters (Midwest), Hi-Tech Home (West), Definitive Audio Inc. (Northwest), Audio Video Unlimited Langley (Canada)

•             Best New Dealer: MTC Security Co., Inc.(East) and High Definition Home (West)

•             Excellence in Service: Envisions Home Theater by Watson’s (Northeast), Knowhouse2, LLC (Southeast), Corrigan Home Systems (Central), AV Unplugged (Midwest), cyberManor, Inc (West), Automated Audio (Northwest), Zone Signature (Canada)

•             Most Unique Installation: HomeVision Solutions, Inc. (Winner), Tennessee Home Theater by Home Secure LLC (Honorable Mention), Cloud9 Smarthome – Everglades Technologies (Honorable Mention)

•             Best Old Dog, New Tricks: The SOHO Shop LLC (Winner), Barry Electronics Inc. (Honorable Mention), Wired LLC (Honorable Mention)

“Tennessee Home Theater by HomeSecure is excited not only to accept the award of honorable mention for ‘Most Unique Installation’, but also for being able to work on an extremely unique project. Anthony Barrett, CDIS, designed and implemented a system that has been touted as being one of the most state-of-the-art facilities around.  Control4 is an integral part of our client solutions offering for both small and large projects. We saw the vision of a footprint of affordable automation systems, energy management, ‘Everyday Easy’ control, and a platform that can be built on for years and years to come. Tennessee Home Theater was named as a Premier Gold Dealer for 2011 and continues to excel in top-quality customer service and productivity. Control4 can be experienced at the THT lifestyle experience center by appointment” – Joey Ferrell, General Manager Tennessee Home Theater by HomeSecure

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold and the School Resource Officers hope to raise enough funds through the Shop with the Cop drive at Toot’s and other donations to take 20 to 25 children Christmas shopping.

Arnold and SROs will visit with diners at Toot’s from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22 at the South Church Street restaurant. Diners are asked to donate in envelopes left on the tables. All funds will be used for the Shop with a Cop program.

Due to the tough economy, many families won’t have enough money to buy Christmas presents for their children.

“We want to make Christmas a reality for the unfortunate youth of RutherfordCounty,” Arnold said.

The sheriff appreciates Toot’s for sponsoring the fund-raising event to help the children in Rutherford County schools.

Deputy Jim Noe of the Community Services Unit said donations will be accepted until 4 p.m. Dec. 22 at the sheriff’s at 940 New Salem Highway. Checks should be made out to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office with Shop with a Cop on the tag line.

Sgt. Jimmy Cassidy of the Community Services Unit said some businesses and civic groups have already donated to the Shop with a Cop program.

With the money raised, SROs will accompany the children to breakfast and then drive them to Kmart where they will shop for Christmas presents.

Reducing deaths and injuries from drunk driving are the goals for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office joining with the “Tie One on for Safety” campaign sponsored by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

MADD is asking law enforcement officers to participate in the annual campaign to enforce DUI laws and citizens to tie red ribbons on their vehicles in a pledge to drive safe and sober.

Sheriff’s Training Sgt. Jon Frazier and Deputy A.J. Ross joined representatives of MADD, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and other Middle Tennessee law enforcement officers Tuesday to kick off the annual campaign.

Frazier said the red ribbon supports the law enforcement effort.

“Our effort is simple,” Frazier said. “Be diligent in traffic enforcement and DUI suppression in Rutherford County.”

The sheriff’s office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol will conduct sobriety checkpoints in December to help enforce the DUI laws, the sergeant said.

“I am asking all our officers to be diligent in traffic enforcement and DUI suppression through the holiday season and year round, and to make the roads safe for our families, our citizens, and our visitors to Rutherford County,” Frazier said.

In a press release, MADD spokeswoman Sonya Manfred said this is the time of the year when drunken driving crashes are most prevalent. She urged drivers to be extra vigilant about planning ahead for a safe way home when holiday festivities include alcohol.

False threats about a bomb left in a La Vergne elementary school principal’s office forced the lockdown of the school and resulted in a grandfather’s arrest Thursday, school resource officers said Friday. A student’s grandfather met with Lake Elementary School Principal Jeff McCann Thursday morning, SRO James McGoney reported. When the grandfather left, he told a secretary,

“You may want to leave within the next five minutes. I just planted something in Mr. McCann’s office.”             Students were locked down while McCann and McGoney searched the office thoroughly and did not find any unusual items. SRO Sgt. Bill West, Deputy Anthony Gordon, McGoney and La Vergne Police drove to the grandfather’s house and talked with him.              Grandfather Girard Greenfield III asked why the officers were at his home, then mentioned a joke. When McGoney asked, “What joke?” Greenfield replied he made a comment about a bomb in McCann’s office. Greenfield said he was upset about an issue at the school and noted he was just kidding and made a bad decision.

McGoney charged Greenfield, 61, of 303 Dick Buchanan Drive with filing a false police report. Greenfield was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center and released on $5,000 bond. A hearing was set Jan. 10 in General Sessions Court.             Sheriff Robert F. Arnold said this case is a good example of why SROs work at elementary schools in Rutherford County.              “In this case, a disgruntled parent who disliked something that happened at school alluded to a bomb in the school,” Arnold said. “Officers were on site. They went right into evacuation mode and locked down the school.

The school didn’t have to wait until officers arrived to assess the situation.”             SROs in elementary and middle schools face unique situations such as child custody situations, said the sheriff who is a former SRO. “It’s very important to provide security for our young people and to help them,” Arnold said. SRO Capt. Barry Hendrixson said one SRO is assigned to two elementary schools. This is the fourth incident during the past two months directly related to elementary schools, including a man walking with a gun outside Stewarts Creek Elementary and Middle schools, a gas leak at Brown’s Chapel School that led to an evacuation, an argument of parents at McFadden and the bomb threat.

Besides responding to crises, the elementary and middle school SROs teach good citizenship, stranger danger and safety classes and student life lessons. The SROs provide safety to children and are proactive rather than reactive.  “The proactive part is by teaching class and letting them know we are there to help and we are there all the time, not just when someone is not acting right,” Hendrixson said.               “Students, teachers and parents have the right to feel safe and to receive the same services from Sheriff Arnold as his deputies no matter what grade they are in,” Hendrixson added.

Saving a child contemplating suicide earned Sheriff’s School Resource Officer Carl “Bucky” Watts recognition as “Officer of the Month” for September by Ford of Murfreesboro.             Watts, the SRO at Smyrna Middle School, received information the student planned to take his life and no one would get there in time in save him. Watts contacted the student’s mother and learned he was home alone.             The SRO rushed to the student’s home. After a few moments, the student answered the door and confirmed to Watts his intentions. The mother arrived and took him to StoneCrest Medical Center.             Sheriff Robert F. Arnold credited Watts with potentially saving the child’s life.             “Our SROs do more than just patrol at the schools,” Arnold said. “They are actively involved in helping students with a variety of challenges. We are just glad SRO Watts arrived in time to help this child.”

General Manager David Lee of Ford of Murfreesboro presented Watts with an engraved watch in recognition of being honored as Officer of the Month.             ”We are so grateful for the Rutherford County school resource officers,” Lee said. “It is so comforting to know that they are there for our kids. I am proud to present this award to SRO Watts.”

The girl’s form of autism “makes her gullible, naïve, innocent and willing to please others,” McCullough said. Barnett met the autistic girl in August. Her parents noticed the exchange and informed Barnett their daughter was only 14 years old.  Without the parents’ knowledge, Barnett communicated with their daughter since then by texting. Barnett allegedly instructed the girl by text about meeting her outside the school Oct. 28. The mother alerted detectives Nov. 1 her daughter was allegedly sexually abused, the sergeant said. The girl underwent a sexual abuse examination at Our Kids clinic in Nashville.

During the investigation, School Resource Officer Ward Bates obtained school video showing Barnett’s truck driving around the school parking lot before classes Oct. 28.      Latoya Nelson of the Child Advocacy Center conducted a forensic interview with the child to gain information about the event. “Some of these investigations with children are difficult” because the child cannot be questioned in a leading or suggestive manner, McCullough explained. With the information from the forensic interview, McCullough and McCallum identified Barnett as the suspect and learned he was on parole for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

The detectives contacted Detective Chuck Thomas, who is assigned to the U.S. Marshals Task Force. Thomas learned Barnett was supposed to meet with his parole officer Thursday. Thomas, McCallum and Detective Steve Craig arrested Barnett about 6:50 a.m. when he met with his parole officer. Barnett asked for an attorney and refused to give basic information about himself after he was charged and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Bond was set at $450,000. A hearing is set Dec. 7 in General Sessions Court. The investigation remains ongoing and McCullough expects more charges. McCallum obtained a search warrant for Barnett’s truck and Craig obtained a subpoena for the victim and Barnett’s cellular telephones. McCullough said Barnett’s arrest was a team effort between Nelson, Bates and detectives. Nelson “does wonderful forensic interviews for our agency,” McCullough said.

Thomas helped locate the suspect while Bates provided the videotape, allowing detectives to get a description of Barnett’s truck. “Everyone worked in concert to get this arrest,” McCullough said.



Two convicts accused of assaulting a couple during a home invasion were apprehended by a Murfreesboro Police K-9 team and sheriff’s deputies early Friday off Barfield Road, sheriff’s supervisors said.             Victim Tina Binford was held down with one suspect putting his knee on her back and both suspects assaulted her husband, Edward, while they took $300 from his wallet, Deputy Mark Logsdon reported. The Binfords were treated for their injuries by Emergency Medical Center paramedics. Their home is located off Barfield-Crescent Road.             Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Owens reported suspects James Butner Jr. and Darrell Lambert were treated for dog bites. Detective Steve Brown charged them with assault on the Binfords, aggravated burglary and theft of property. Both Butner and Lambert are convicted felons.             Commander Preble Acton of the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division said Butner and Lambert were suspects in numerous burglaries in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.             General and narcotics detectives and patrol deputies executed a search warrant at a Morton Road home where they recovered about $4,000 worth of stolen property linked to Butner and Lambert.              “We recovered a lot of property that doesn’t appear to be theirs,” Acton said.             Property recovered included chain saws, weed trimmers, long guns and power tools. Detectives will try to match the stolen property to victims who reported their items missing.             “This will be a tedious process,” Acton said.             Logsdon reported the Binfords gave a description of the suspects who drove away in a stolen black Dodge pickup truck.             While responding to the call, Owens saw the truck on Old Barfield Road. He followed the truck to St. James Road where the truck stopped and Butner and Lambert fled. Owens chased them until he lost sight of them in a tree line. Other deputies and the sheriff’s Special Response Team responded.             Because sheriff’s K-9 officers were not on duty, Murfreesboro Police K-9 Officer Trey Mansfield and K-9 partner Diesel, along with Deputy Mike Hoekstra and Officer Josh Borell of MPD’s Incident Response Team, started the track of the suspects.             Diesel and the officers located Lambert near a tree line. Mansfield and Diesel took Butner into custody.             Both Butner and Lambert were treated for the dog bite injuries at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. When released, Brown charged Butner, 31, of Morton Road and Lambert, 29, of Vanessa Court. Owens charged them with felony evading arrest and possession of stolen property. They are being held in Rutherford County Adult Detention Center until a hearing Dec. 7 in General Sessions Court. Acton said patrol deputies were diligent in apprehended the suspects that resulted in the arrest.             “It’s hard to catch burglars,” Acton said. “It takes a lot of patrol effort. This has made a dent” into unsolved burglaries. “We’re not done.”

Two convicts accused of assaulting a couple during a home invasion were apprehended by a Murfreesboro Police K-9 team and sheriff’s deputies early Friday off Barfield Road, sheriff’s supervisors said.             Victim Tina Binford was held down with one suspect putting his knee on her back and both suspects assaulted her husband, Edward, while they took $300 from his wallet, Deputy Mark Logsdon reported. The Binfords were treated for their injuries by Emergency Medical Center paramedics. Their home is located off Barfield-Crescent Road.             Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Owens reported suspects James Butner Jr. and Darrell Lambert were treated for dog bites. Detective Steve Brown charged them with assault on the Binfords, aggravated burglary and theft of property. Both Butner and Lambert are convicted felons.             Commander Preble Acton of the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division said Butner and Lambert were suspects in numerous burglaries in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.             General and narcotics detectives and patrol deputies executed a search warrant at a Morton Road home where they recovered about $4,000 worth of stolen property linked to Butner and Lambert.              “We recovered a lot of property that doesn’t appear to be theirs,” Acton said.             Property recovered included chain saws, weed trimmers, long guns and power tools. Detectives will try to match the stolen property to victims who reported their items missing.             “This will be a tedious process,” Acton said.             Logsdon reported the Binfords gave a description of the suspects who drove away in a stolen black Dodge pickup truck.             While responding to the call, Owens saw the truck on Old Barfield Road. He followed the truck to St. James Road where the truck stopped and Butner and Lambert fled. Owens chased them until he lost sight of them in a tree line. Other deputies and the sheriff’s Special Response Team responded.             Because sheriff’s K-9 officers were not on duty, Murfreesboro Police K-9 Officer Trey Mansfield and K-9 partner Diesel, along with Deputy Mike Hoekstra and Officer Josh Borell of MPD’s Incident Response Team, started the track of the suspects.             Diesel and the officers located Lambert near a tree line. Mansfield and Diesel took Butner into custody.             Both Butner and Lambert were treated for the dog bite injuries at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. When released, Brown charged Butner, 31, of Morton Road and Lambert, 29, of Vanessa Court. Owens charged them with felony evading arrest and possession of stolen property. They are being held in Rutherford County Adult Detention Center until a hearing Dec. 7 in General Sessions Court. Acton said patrol deputies were diligent in apprehended the suspects that resulted in the arrest.             “It’s hard to catch burglars,” Acton said. “It takes a lot of patrol effort. This has made a dent” into unsolved burglaries. “We’re not done.”

Two convicts accused of assaulting a couple during a home invasion were apprehended by a Murfreesboro Police K-9 team and sheriff’s deputies early Friday off Barfield Road, sheriff’s supervisors said.             Victim Tina Binford was held down with one suspect putting his knee on her back and both suspects assaulted her husband, Edward, while they took $300 from his wallet, Deputy Mark Logsdon reported. The Binfords were treated for their injuries by Emergency Medical Center paramedics. Their home is located off Barfield-Crescent Road.             Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Owens reported suspects James Butner Jr. and Darrell Lambert were treated for dog bites. Detective Steve Brown charged them with assault on the Binfords, aggravated burglary and theft of property. Both Butner and Lambert are convicted felons.             Commander Preble Acton of the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division said Butner and Lambert were suspects in numerous burglaries in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.             General and narcotics detectives and patrol deputies executed a search warrant at a Morton Road home where they recovered about $4,000 worth of stolen property linked to Butner and Lambert.              “We recovered a lot of property that doesn’t appear to be theirs,” Acton said.             Property recovered included chain saws, weed trimmers, long guns and power tools. Detectives will try to match the stolen property to victims who reported their items missing.             “This will be a tedious process,” Acton said.             Logsdon reported the Binfords gave a description of the suspects who drove away in a stolen black Dodge pickup truck.             While responding to the call, Owens saw the truck on Old Barfield Road. He followed the truck to St. James Road where the truck stopped and Butner and Lambert fled. Owens chased them until he lost sight of them in a tree line. Other deputies and the sheriff’s Special Response Team responded.             Because sheriff’s K-9 officers were not on duty, Murfreesboro Police K-9 Officer Trey Mansfield and K-9 partner Diesel, along with Deputy Mike Hoekstra and Officer Josh Borell of MPD’s Incident Response Team, started the track of the suspects.             Diesel and the officers located Lambert near a tree line. Mansfield and Diesel took Butner into custody.             Both Butner and Lambert were treated for the dog bite injuries at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. When released, Brown charged Butner, 31, of Morton Road and Lambert, 29, of Vanessa Court. Owens charged them with felony evading arrest and possession of stolen property. They are being held in Rutherford County Adult Detention Center until a hearing Dec. 7 in General Sessions Court. Acton said patrol deputies were diligent in apprehended the suspects that resulted in the arrest.             “It’s hard to catch burglars,” Acton said. “It takes a lot of patrol effort. This has made a dent” into unsolved burglaries. “We’re not done.”

Murfreesboro Police Officer Jason Brown reported he responded to back up Greene. He found suspect Cristle Spicer, 21, of Hancock Street allegedly interfering with officers.             “Ms. Spicer became upset and combative with me,” Brown reported. “I advised her several times to calm down and to quit resisting, which she refused. She was then cuffed and placed under arrest.”             Emergency Medical Services paramedics checked her because she is pregnant. She was cleared and charged by Brown with resisting arrest.             Hood complained of injuries so Greene took her to Middle Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. Afterwards, Greene charged Hood with the three original charges and resisting arrest.             Hearings are pending in General Sessions Court.             Cagle said Greene was treated for her injuries later and returned to work.             “Law enforcement is dangerous work and we face that reality every day,” Cagle said.             Deputies who serve criminal warrants sometimes must go alone into housing projects, unkempt houses and other difficult situations when dealing with suspects, the captain said.             “People like Deputy Greene are out there every day doing their jobs,” Cagle said.

A Cannon County woman accused of trying to gain $2,500 from a man in exchange for preventing her from posting pictures of him on the Internet was charged with extortion Monday, a Rutherford County Sheriff’s detective said.              Valerie Layne Smitty, 36, of 205 Hayes St. in Woodbury was charged with extortion of the 60-year-old Rutherford County man by Detective Scott Tillman.             Smitty sent a text to the man last Friday stating if the man didn’t give her the $2,500, she would post the pictures online, Tillman said. The man contacted the sheriff’s office.             Tillman arrested the woman Monday at Wal-Mart on Rutherford Boulevard in the company of her two children and two of their friends, who were all pre-teens. Relatives of the children picked them up while Tillman interviewed Smitty.             Smitty was charged with the felony crime and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. She was released on $2,500 bond. A hearing is set Nov. 8 in General Sessions Court.             She is unemployed.