Grand Jury Indictees Enter Pleas During Busy Day In Court

Friday marked plea day for those defendants indicted during the September, 2009 term of the Cannon County Grand Jury. Defendants who entered pleas during Friday’s session are as follows:

Phillip Shaffer pled guilty to the charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for January 8, 2010. In another case, Shaffer pled guilty to driving while license revoked. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail, ordered to pay a $50.00 fine and ordered to pay the court costs. That sentence was ordered to run concurrently with his other charge.

James G. Vanetta entered not guilty pleas to the charges of felony possession of marijuana, manufacture of marijuana, felony possession of schedule IV drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a dwelling to keep use or sell drugs. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Angela Trisler entered not guilty pleas to the charges of sale of a schedule two controlled substance, two counts sale of a schedule three controlled substance, TennCare fraud and maintaining a dwelling to keep, use or sell drugs. Her case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Nina J. Mayfield Odom pled guilty to the charge of TennCare fraud. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for December 11, 2009.

John Cummings and Toni Jo Cummings entered not guilty pleas to the charges of sale of hydromophone within 1,000 feet of a park and maintaining a dwelling or vehicle to keep, use or sell drugs. Their cases were set for jury trials on February 11, 2010 and motion hearings on January 8, 2010.

Ella F. Mathis entered a conditional plea of guilty to the charge of theft over $500.00. She was placed on supervised probation for 1 year and ordered to pay the court costs and restitution.

Kayla D. Mathis entered a conditional plea of guilty to the charge of theft over $500.00. She was placed on supervised probation for 1 year and ordered to pay the court costs and restitution.

Randy H. Durham entered a not guilty plea to the charges of second degree murder and reckless endangerment. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Steffan M. Brady pled guilty to the charges of aggravated burglary and three counts of burglary of an automobile. He was sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. Those sentences were ordered to run concurrently for an effective sentence of 4 years. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for January 8, 2010. During that hearing the judge will also determine whether these sentences will run concurrently or consecutively with a jail sentence in Rutherford County.

Joshua Dishman pled guilty to the charges of aggravated burglary and three counts of burglary to an automobile. He was sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. Those sentences were ordered to run concurrently for an effective sentence of 4 years. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for January 8, 2010.

Tony Barrett and Eddy Farris entered not guilty pleas to felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Their cases were reset for December 11, 2009.

Robert W. Barrett entered not guilty pleas to the charges of two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine, two counts possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a dwelling to keep, use or sell a controlled substance, accessory after the fact, initiation of the process to manufacture methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling or vehicle to keep, use or sell methamphetamine. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Christopher Nathan Davenport pled guilty to three counts of theft over $1,000.00. He was sentenced to a total of 7 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. All the sentences were ordered to run concurrently for an effective prison sentence of 3 years. A suspended sentence hearing was schedule for December 10, 2009.

Julie C. Davenport pled guilty to two counts of theft. She was sentenced to a total of 5 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. Those sentences were ordered to be served concurrently for an effective sentence of 3 years. A suspended sentence and judicial diversion hearing was set for December 11, 2009.

Steven Hollis pled guilty to the charge of burglary of a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison as a Standard 30 percent offender and ordered to pay the court costs. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for December 10, 2009. In another case, Hollis pled guilty to the charge of driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was partially suspended upon serving 48 hours in jail, paying a $350.00 fine and paying the court costs. He will also lose his driver’s license for 1 year. Hollis also pled guilty to the charge of driving while license revoked. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying a $50.00 fine and paying the court costs. The driving under the influence and driving while license revoked sentences will run consecutively to the burglary charge.

Matthew Gerald Edwards pled guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary, burglary and theft. He was sentenced to a total of 8 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. A suspended sentence hearing was scheduled for January 8, 2010. During that hearing the judge will also determine whether the sentences will run concurrently or consecutively.

Thomas Clay Davis pled guilty to the charge of theft over $1,000.00. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison as a standard 30 percent offender. A suspended sentence hearing was set for December 10, 2009.

Nicholas Reeder entered not guilty pleas to the charges of two counts of felony possession of marijuana, two counts of maintaining a dwelling to keep, use or sell marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Donald Ray Reeder entered not guilty pleas to the charges of felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to keep, use or sell marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft, possession of unstamped alcohol and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Joseph D. Moore entered a not guilty plea to the charge of failure to appear. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

Raymond E. Farless pled guilty to the charges of two counts of burglary and three counts of theft over $500.00. He was sentenced to a total of 6 years, 11 months and 28 days in jail. Those sentences were ordered to run concurrently for an effective sentence of 2 years. He was ordered to serve his entire sentence.

John Thomas Trisler pled guilty to the charge of criminal attempt to commit the offense of altering, falsifying or forging a registration plate. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying a $100.00 fine.

Rex A. Melton entered not guilty pleas to the charges of two counts of assault, resisting arrest, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.

William L. Bizzle pled guilty to the charges of aggravated criminal trespass and assault. He was sentenced to a total of 23 months, 28 days in the county jail. Those sentences were suspended upon an equal amount of time on supervised probation, paying the court costs and paying restitution to the victim.

Shannon Herman entered a not guilty plea to the charge of assault. Her case was reset for motions on December 11, 2009 and a jury trial on January 29, 2010.

Lea Ann Farless entered not guilty pleas to the charges of resisting arrest, vandalism and public intoxication. She was appointed an attorney and reset for December 10, 2009.

Jared Ian Smith pled guilty to the charge of simple possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days in the county jail. That sentence was suspended upon an equal amount of time on probation, paying the court costs and paying a $250.00 fine. In addition, he will be required to submit to drug screens for at least 60 days.

For those defendants who did not enter pleas of guilty on Friday, the next several months will be spent preparing for trial and filing pre-trial motions.

Defendants who were not arraigned during the October 9, 2009 arraignment day because their sealed indictments were not served were arraigned during Friday’s session. Those defendants included:

Tony McNeely on the charges of sale of schedule II and maintaining a dwelling for keeping, using or selling a controlled substance. His case was reset for plea day on December 11, 2009. He was also appointed an attorney.

Jonathan Cooper on the charges of three counts of sale of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for keeping, using or selling a controlled substance. His case was reset for plea day on December 11, 2009. He was also appointed an attorney.

Kimberly Bynum on the charges of sale of schedule III, sale of schedule IV and maintaining a dwelling for keeping, using or selling a controlled substance. Her case was reset for plea day on December 11, 2009. She was also appointed an attorney.

Debbie Rene Israel on the charges of two counts of sale of schedule III and maintaining a dwelling for keeping, using or selling a controlled substance. Her case was reset for plea day on December 11, 2009. She was also appointed an attorney.

Rex Melton on the charge of aggravated perjury. His case was reset for plea day on December 11, 2009.

Forrest Lee Reeder on the charges of tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. His case was reset for December 11, 2009.