The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department stayed busy last week, making several arrests for filing false reports and one for being a fugitive from justice.
Sheriff Patrick Ray told the Smithville Review that on October 28, two people were arrested in Alexandria after a deputy tried to serve a warrant.
Law enforcement responded to a residence on Gin Alley in Alexandria to serve a fugitive from justice warrant on 37-year-old Michael Edward Steiner of Curtis Avenue, Alexandria. On October 26, he was found to have an active warrant out of Monroe County, Florida for violation of probation with full extradition.
As the deputy was attempting to serve a warrant on Steiner at Gin Alley, he made contact with 23-year-old Allison Katherine Driver of South Church Street, Alexandria. The deputy asked Driver if Steiner was at the residence and she advised that he was not.
Later, the deputy observed Steiner run from the residence, and after placing the man in custody he reportedly said that he had run from Driver’s home. Officials claim that Driver later admitted that he had been inside the residence.
Steiner was charged with the fugitive warrant and evading arrest. He is under a $90,000 total bond and is set to be in court on November 10.
Driver was charged with filing a false report. She is under a $10,000 bond and she is due in court on November 10.
On October 27, 37-year-old Melinda Beth Murphy of Page Drive, Smithville, was charged with violation of an order of protection. She is due in court on November 10. According to Sheriff Ray, on September 15, 2022, Murphy violated an order of protection by texting the petitioner multiple times.
That same day, 52-year-old Valeri Jean Mullins of Four Star Loop, Smithville, was arrested for filing a false report. She is under a $10,000 bond and she is due in court on November 13.
Sheriff Ray said that a deputy responded to Four Star Loop on a report of a possible assault. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Mullins and through an investigation it was determined that Mullins had provided false information to law enforcement about the incident. Multiple witnesses contradicted the woman’s story.
On October 28, 46-year-old Gregory Michael Patton of Oak Place Drive, Smithville, was arrested for methamphetamine manufacture deliver sell or possess and fabricating or tampering with evidence. He is under a $50,000 bond and he is set to appear in court on November 10.
A deputy observed a red Ford Explorer traveling on Cripps Lane failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with Four Seasons Road. When the deputy activated his blue lights he observed Patton throw an object from the vehicle through the passenger side window. The bag was located on the right hand side of the roadway, and according to law enforcement, Patton admitted to throwing the item out of the window.
Located inside the bag was a white substance that Patton reportedly stated was meth weighing 1.15 grams, along with other drug paraphernalia.
That same day, 56-year-old Karl Allen Koegler of South Mountain Street, Smithville, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is under a $3,500 bond and he is due in court on November 10.
A deputy responded to a report of shots fired from a vehicle. The deputy made contact with Koeglar who advised that his son had shot multiple rounds from an AR-15 that he had provided to his son. The juvenile was also found to have a Glock 9mm handgun that Koeglar had also provided. The case is still under investigation.
On October 30, 27-year-old David Vargas Cano of Banks Road, Smithville, was arrested after two run ins with a deputy. A deputy wrote Cano a citation for having no driver’s license and failure to maintain lane of travel, after he observed a red Ford Expedition on Sparta Highway leaving its lane of travel.
Three hours later the deputy again observed Cano, this time on McMinnville Highway, failing to maintain his lane of travel multiple times. This time Cano was arrested for not having a driver’s license, and again cited for failure to maintain, and open container. He is under a $1,500 bond and he is set for court on November 17.
That same day, 31-year-old Stephanie Michelle Mooneyham of Toad Road, Smithville, was charged with criminal trespass. She is under a $1,500 bond and is due in court on November 17.
A deputy was dispatched to the Dollar General Store on Nashville Highway on a report of a trespasser. Upon arrival the deputy made contact with Mooneyham who advised she was trying to make a purchase. The deputy then confirmed that Mooneyham had been trespassed from the address on October 6, 2022.
