Last night the YMCA and the Bradley County Sheriff's Office sponsored a seminar on gangs. 

Conducting the meeting were Sgt. Yvonne Johnson,  Correction Deputy Willie Espinoza,  School Resource Officer Julie Quinn, and Lt. Ken Simpson of the Cleveland Police Department .

        Chief Deputy Sheriff Bill Dyer of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office has joined an elite group in law enforcement circles as a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy, considered to be the most prestigious training in the world.   Chief Dyer completed the ten-week program at Quantico Virginia in September 2006, and was one of 260 graduates to receive a diploma from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III.  

        Academy admission is by invitation only and is based on a nomination process. Each applicant's background in law enforcement, the professionalism of the agency they are employed with, and their future plans to remain in the profession, are taken into consideration during the evaluation process.
        

Two Bradley County men sentenced in weapons cases

Two Bradley County men received prison sentences of eight and 20 years as a result of their prosecution in U.S. District Court for being in possession of firearms.

Mark W. Burris, 37,  received a sentence of 96 months in a federal prison that will be followed by 36 months of supervision after his release from custody. The charges stem from Burris’s arrest at a local motel while he was found to be in possession of a shotgun and ammunition.  An underage female who accompanied him to that location was also taken into custody Prosecution of Burris in federal court was based on prior felony convictions. Michael Mitchell Dodd, 50, was sentenced to 240 months in federal custody after he pleaded guilty to weapons and drug charges.  

The investigation that led to his arrest involved the drug units of the Cleveland Police Department and the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.  During the investigation Dodd was found in possession of crack cocaine. The case was prepared for federal prosecution by Sheriff’s Det. Carl Maskew and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Perry Piper. Dodd’s prison sentence will be followed by 120 months of supervision by federal probation officers.

Woman charged with filing false report of theft from storage unit

Bradley County Sheriff?s Detectives have charged Christina Goins with filing a false report of a burglary to a mini storage unit at 380 Pleasant Grove Road.  Goins, 37, of 112 Cunningham Circle, was arrested on Thursday, three days after she notified the sheriff?s office that several items were gone when she inspected the contents this week.

Goins said the time frame of the theft was from January 1 to April 16.  She reported two bar style gaming machines, two boxes of wrist watches, a stereo receiver, 20 candy vending machines, a dresser, and several other items had been taken.

Investigation by Det. Scotty Hernandez and Det. Kevin White revealed the dresser was given to a friend, and the gaming machines and several candy machines had been sold or traded prior to being reported stolen.

Goins was charged with false reports, a felony.  She was released on bond pending arraignment on Friday (today).