The 41-year-old DeKalb County man arrested and charged with soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor was sentenced last week in Criminal Court.
According to DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray, Dustin James Farris of Star Drive, Sparta, (DeKalb County) a former deputy with DeKalb, White, Putnam and Cannon County and a Child Support Investigator in the 13th Judicial District, was charged with two counts of exploitation if a minor by electronic means, and one count of sexual contact with a minor by authority figure, after a special-called session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury heard testimony. Farris had been employed with the Overton County Sheriff’s Department where he served as a School Resource Officer.
According to the indictment, between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Tennessee, Farris did unlawfully by means of oral, written, or electronic communication, electronic mail or Internet service, including webcam communications, directly or through another, to intentionally command, hire, persuade, induce, or cause a minor to engage in simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or in sexual activity, where such simulated sexual activity or sexual activity is observed by that person or another and that Farris is 18 years of age or older.
Counts 2 and 3 of the indictment allege that, “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris did unlawfully display to a minor, or expose a minor to, any material containing simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or sexual activity if the purpose of the display can reasonably be construed as being for the sexual arousal or gratification of the minor or the person displaying the material”.
Count 4 of the indictment alleges that, “between the dates of May 31, 2022 and July 24, 2022 in DeKalb County, Farris engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor when the defendant at the time of the offense was in a position of trust or had supervisory or disciplinary power over the minor by virtue of the defendant’s legal, professional, or occupational status and used the position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual contact. The defendant intentionally touched or kissed the minor’s lips with the defendant’s lips and such touching can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification.”
Farris was indicted in December 2022 on sex crimes involving a minor appeared for sentencing Monday, July 1, in Criminal Court. He entered a plea to criminal attempt for solicitation of a minor (1 count) and 2 counts of sexual exposure of a minor. Farris received a total sentence of five years to serve at 100 percent as a range-1 offender and he must register as a sexual offender. He must have no contact with the victim in this case. He was fined a total of $600.
Others making please in Criminal Court include 41-year-old George Daniel Evans. He faced three counts of rape, four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of incest.
Evans pled guilty to two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and received an eight-year sentence to serve at 100 percent on both counts to run concurrently. Evans has been given jail credit of 542 days and must register on the state’s sex offender registry.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Evans of was arrested on January 6, 2023, for two counts of rape, two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, and two counts of incest. Evans knowingly and intentionally committed the act of rape, statutory rape and incest by forceful sexual penetration multiple times against two minor victims.
Evans is reported to be the stepfather/adopted father of the victims and in a place of trust or power over the victims. The victims were reported to be a 13-year-old female and 14-year-old female. At the time of the first offenses the children were 7 and 8 years old.
Others sentenced in court were Christopher Joe Bogle, 46, who pled guilty to theft of services over $2,500 and received two years on supervised probation until his court costs and restitution of $5,300 to Caney Fork Electric Cooperative are paid.
On February 22, 2019, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative terminated service at an address on Antioch Road, and discovered that someone had tampered with the meter box there on December 2, 2021, resulting in the theft of $5,773 in electricity.
Jamaal Pleasant, 23, pled guilty to attempting to possess meth over 0.5 grams and received a six-year sentence to be served on supervised probation. He was fined $2,000. Pleasant was given 21 days jail credit.
Anthony William Tramel, 35, pled to possession of meth over 0.5 grams and received an eight-year sentence suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000, and given jail credit of 23 days.
Philando Darnell Fullilove, 36, pled guilty to possession of meth with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He received an eight-year sentence to serve concurrently with a Smith County case. He was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 217 days.
Jackie Darrell Ervin, 46, pled to aggravated assault and received five years to serve at 30 percent, consecutive to other sentences against him.
Angela Lynn Ayers, 43, pled guilty to attempting to deliver a controlled substance. She received a sentence of four years all suspended to TDOC supervised probation. She was fined $2,000.
Shannon Lee Patterson, 56, pled guilty to theft over $10,000 and received a three-year TDOC sentence on supervised probation pursuant to judicial diversion.
Cassidy Renee Judkins, 22, pled to theft and received a sentence of 11-months and 29-days on supervised probation until all court costs are paid.
Randall Mullins, 58, pled to two counts of aggravated assault and received a six-year sentence in each case to run concurrently to be served at 30 percent before his release eligibility date. Mullins is requesting judicial diversion. He was given jail credit of 268 days.
