A local probation officer is facing charges after allegedly forging a client's money order to commit theft.
Ashley Lasser, 29, was employed by Community Probation Service (CPS) when she allegedly passed a forged money order in the amount of $50 at the Dollar General Store in Smithville on Sept. 18. The money order was reportedly a client's payment to Life Savers of Tennessee, a probation service where Lasser worked.
Lasser allegedly marked the Life Savers of Tennessee name off the document, wrote in Dollar General Store, and passed the forged money order to the cashier. The money order was apparently a payment to life Savers of Tennessee for attending an anger management class.
Lasser allegedly purchased a soft drink and received the remainder of the $50 back in cash. She has reportedly been terminated from her job at (CPS).
The case was investigated by Lieutenant Detective Matt Holmes and Chief Randy Caplinger of the Smithville Police Department.
Her bond was set at $51,500 bond and she will appear in court on Oct. 2.
A 32-year-old local woman faces charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allegedly giving marijuana to her 15-year-old daughter.
According to Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger, Stephanie Fagan was charged after the child's grandmother came to the police department on Sept.16 and reported that Fagan had given marijuana to her girl.
Her bond was set at $1,500, and she will appear in court on Oct. 2.
Robert Roy Atnip, Jr., 44, has been charged with burglary and theft of property over $1,000 after allegedly burglarizing an outbuilding at the golf course.
The chief said that on Saturday, September 6, Atnip broke into the building at the Smithville Golf Course on Sept. 6, and took grass trimmers and hedge trimmers valued at $1,500.
His bond was set at $12,500.
William L. Frazier, 54, has been charged with indecent exposure. Caplinger said Frazier exposed himself to a 17-year-old girl in the Walmart parking lot on Sept. 16.
His bond was setr at $1,500, and he will appear in court on Oct. 2.
Harold Blackwell, 64, has been charged with driving under the influence. Caplinger said Blackwell ran a red light, forcing other vehicles to stop, on Sept. 6. When an officer initiated a traffic stop, he found Blackwell to be the driver, and noticed a very strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. Blackwell allegedly had slurred speech and seemed to be confused by the officer's presence. He submitted to, but performed poorly on, field sobriety tasks, and refused to submit to a blood test.
His bond was set at $1,500 and he will appear in court on Oct. 2.
David Linnear, 53, was charged with driving under the influence on Sept. 5. According to the chief, an officer witnessed a vehicle run a red light and almost cause an accident at the intersection of Highway 56 and 70. The officer pulled the vehicle over, found Linnear behind the wheel, and detected a strong odor of alcohol. Linnear reportedly submitted to, but performed poorly on, field sobriety tasks.
His bond was set at $1,500 and he will appear in court on Oct. 2
Justin Lohorn, 28, was charged with public intoxication and cited for simple possession of a Schedule VI drug (marijuana).
The chief said police received a complaint of an intoxicated person in the Driver Street area on Sept. 7, and when he arrived to investigate, an officer saw Lohorn walking in the center of Odom street.
He was asked to step over to the patrol car, and the officer allegedly found Lohorn to be unsteady on his feet with slurred speech. He allegedly tossed a small bag containing a green leafy substance under the front of the patrol car.
When the bag was recovered it was found to contain marijuana. The officer also found an unlabeled pill bottle containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana in Lohorn's pocket.
His bond was set at $1,500, and will appear in court on Oct. 2 on the public intoxication charge .He will appear on Oct. 14 on the marijuana citations.
Kenneth Johnson, 59, was charged with driving under the influence on Sept. 10. Chief Caplinger said police were dispatched to the area of Highland Avenue to check out a possible drunk driver. An officer arrived to find Johnson behind the wheel of a parked vehicle with the key in the ignition.
His speech was allegedly slurred, and he performed poorly on field sobriety tasks, and the officer found a half-filled liquoron the front seat of the automobile.
His bond was set at $1,500.
Robert Bumbalough, 39, was charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and possession of a handgun while under the influence on Sept 14.
Caplinger said police spotted a vehicle speeding on West Broad Street, and when the officer initiated a traffic stop he found the driver to be Bumbalough, who allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Bumbalough was reportedly unsteady on his feet, and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. According to the chief, the officer found a .45 caliber handgun in Bumbalough's car.
His bond was set at $4,500, and he will appear in court Oct. 9.
