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Thursday, 17 June 2010 |
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In November 2009 representatives of Thompson Springs Baptist Church contacted the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office requesting an investigation of Welch Construction Company and Christopher Brian Welch who was contracted to build a new church sanctuary.
Their concerns centered on amounts that had been paid to the contractor for labor and materials to construct the addition. A six-month investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division revealed no records could be found at the Board for Licensing Contractors in Nashville that show Welch Construction Company or Christopher Brian Welch have been granted contractors licenses in the state of Tennessee. The investigation also revealed two invoices for purchases of construction materials were altered to reflect significantly higher amounts before they were presented to the church membership for reimbursement. After a complete investigation the case was recently presented to the Bradley County Grand Jury resulting in indictments for Christopher Brian Welch for Impersonation of a Licensed Professional and two counts of Forgery. Welch, who is 43 years old, was arrested on June 7th. He was processed at the Bradley County jail and released after posting bond of $10,000. He will be arraigned in Criminal Court on July 6 at 9 a.m. Contractors are required to have a valid license issued by the state Department of Commerce and Insurance. You can check a contractor’s status by contacting their office in Nashville or logging on the state’s website, tennessee.gov.
 Christopher Brian Welch
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Thursday, 17 June 2010 |
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This morning 26–year-old David Andrew Woltz of Trewhitt Road was taken into custody by Bradley County Sheriff’s detectives and Cleveland Police Officers at a motel on South Lee Highway.
Woltz is being held at the Bradley County jail without bond where he is charged with credit card fraud and theft. The charges are the result of a traffic accident on APD 40 last month in which Elvia Hidalgo, a friend of Woltz, was killed. After a collision between Hidalgo and a logging truck, both drivers got out of their vehicles to exchange information. During this time Hidalgo contacted Woltz by phone and had asked him to come to the accident scene to provide her assistance. But before he arrived a second truck crashed into the wreckage instantly killing Hidalgo. The investigation by BCSO detectives assisted by the Cleveland Police Department revealed Woltz arrived on the scene, was able to find Hidalgo’s purse in the debris, and removed a credit card from her purse. Since that time the card has been used for purchases totaling approximately $2,100.
 David Andrew Woltz
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Monday, 07 June 2010 |
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Since becoming sheriff, I have tried to be a good steward of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. Through better management, fiscal responsibility and a more practical application of funds, the BCSO has returned approximately $700,000 in unspent budgeted money since 2006, which was in turn paid back to the county’s general fund. We have been able to continue that trend of fiscal responsibility for the upcoming budget year.
Our fiscal budget for 2011 will cut spending by $600,000 over the current budget in order to help avoid the need for a tax increase. I worked closely with my command staff and budget director to identify areas where we could realistically cut spending for a one-year period without sacrificing services or compromising public safety. It was a challenge and not something we can sustain for an extended period, but we did it.
During tough economic times, the character of a community is revealed by how well adversity is handled. I am confident the high character of Bradley County will win out over the economic challenges we face as a community.
Here at the sheriff’s office, we should be able to sustain the coming budget cuts for one year without a reduction in services primarily because of the improvements we have made over the last four years. Through better management of resources and sound fiscal planning, we have been able to improve vehicles and equipment, as well as upgrade deputies starting salaries to the point that the proposed cuts should not adversely affect law enforcement services or emergency response times. All current BCSO positions are included in our new budget with no reduction in salaries.
We here at the BCSO have consistently operated within our means and without the necessity of imposing tax increases. Each year, we bring in approximately $4.2 million in operating revenue and $500,000 in drug-related asset forfeitures. Also, our inmate work program saves the county approximately $1 million in expenses that would have normally been budgeted if the inmates were not helping out. These monies either off-set BCSO and/or county’s expenses, or are returned to the county’s general fund balance.
As sheriff, I am proud there has been no need for a tax increase to sustain our operations and that every year we have returned money from our balanced budgets to the taxpayers. We will have to tighten our belts to meet next year’s budget, but we are all happy to help hold the line on taxes and still maintain a safe environment in which to live and work.
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Thursday, 27 May 2010 |
The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office has charged the driver of a Toyota 4 Runner SUV in connection with a fatality crash on Old McClure Road the afternoon of June 15, 2009. Buddy Franklin Ricketts, age 34, was arrested Wednesday after indictments were returned from the Bradley County Grand Jury charging him with negligent homicide and two counts of reckless endangerment. A thorough investigation conducted by the BCSO Traffic Unit indicates Ricketts was delivering newspapers on Old McClure Road assisted by three children, ages 7, 5, and 8, when he lost control of the vehicle after topping a small hill. The vehicle slid sideways out of control, rolled, and ended up leaving the road colliding with a tree. Seven-year-old Haley Nicole Valenzuela was partially ejected and died of her injuries. The other two children and Ricketts were treated at area hospitals for their injuries. Ricketts remains in custody in lieu of $25,000 bail.
 Buddy Franklin Ricketts
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Wednesday, 26 May 2010 |
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Responding to a call of trespassing on Old Charleston Road, Bradley County Sheriff’s patrol deputies on Tuesday discovered components of a mobile meth lab in an automobile.
 Keith Lee Johns During a consent search deputies located a bottle that appeared to contain several known substances used in methamphetamine and a coffee filter with several grams of suspected meth. These items and other evidence will be sent to a state lab for proper identification. Both occupants of the vehicle, Keith Lee Johns, age 31, of Phoenix, and Jennifer Cathleen Terry, age 24, of Maynardville Tennessee, were arrested on charges related to the promotion, manufacture and possession of methamphetamine.  Jennifer Cathleen Terry Also responding were the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit, the Meth Task Force, and the DEA Hazmat Response Truck to assist in the proper handling and disposal of the known hazardous chemicals and contaminated items. Both suspects are in jail with bonds of $35,000.
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