A Pleasant Shade man was arrested last weekend following a shooting at a local night spot. According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, 40-year-old James Barsotti was arrested following a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident.
Authorities say that on Saturday, May 10, at 8:22 pm, a call came from the Midnight Express Gentlemen’s Club, at the 3000 block of Sparta Highway in Smithville, reporting that someone had been shot. Deputies arrived on the scene at 8:29 pm and found a male victim in the bar with a gunshot wound. The shooter, Barsotti, was also allegedly on the scene and fighting another individual in the parking lot.
According to investigators, the shooting took place in the parking lot and the victim went back in the building. The victim was later airlifted to a Nashville hospital by air ambulance. He continues to be treated for his injuries.
At the request of 13th Judicial District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, an investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department began.
During the course of the investigation, agents determined Barsotti was responsible for shooting the victim who is an employee at the business. Barsotti was arrested and charged with one count of Attempted 2nd Degree Murder. He was booked into the Dekalb County jail on a $300,000 bond. His court date is set for May 29, 2025.
Smithville Police Department and Constable Mark Milam also assisted at the scene.
In other Sheriff’s news, on May 8, 54-year-old Vickie Lenae Alvis of High Street, Alexandria, was arrested for vandalism. She is under a $5,000 bond and she is due in court on May 22.
According to Sheriff Ray, on May 7 a deputy responded to High Street in Alexandria for a call about an unwanted guest. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Alvis, her brother, and her mother. The mother reported that Alvis had destroyed the residence, and the brother stated that Alvis had destroyed his room. The brother stated that she became irate when he did not give her a ride to Lebanon.
The deputy reported that he observed multiple personal items damaged or destroyed, including lamps, a painting, a nightstand, a vase, and a television. There were also two damaged lamps in an office area that belonged to the brother. The total damages were estimated at $1,490.
On May 11, 63-year-old Bulmaro Vega Torres of Tommy Harold Street, Smithville, was arrested for driving with no driver’s license after a traffic stop. He is under a $2,500 bond and he will be in court on May 29.
