A Silver Alert has been cancelled after WCSO found the body of a missing Watertown man. Edgar Roy Elliott, 85, was found on a gravel road off Neal Road in Watertown at approximately 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. Based on the initial investigation, WCSO Sheriff Robert Bryan said it appears as if he turned over his riding lawn mower. Other details will be released at a later date.

 Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and Watertown Police are searching for an 85-year-old Watertown man who daily rides his yellow Cub Cadet riding lawn mower to various locations through town. Neighbors report they have not seen him since at least Friday. He was last seen leaving his home on Neal Road, located near the Watertown High School and Statesville Road areas. Edgar Roy Elliott is often seen on the mower making stops at various locations throughout the town. His neighbors report they are concerned since they have not seen him and his lawn mower is missing. If anyone has information about him, please call the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at 615-444-1412.

Convicted Drug Dealer Sentenced to 60 Years for Selling Cocaine after 8^th Felony Drug Charge

A drug dealer convicted of eight prior drug-related felonies was sentenced to 60 years in prison Monday in Wilson County Circuit Court.

James K. Woods, 35, of Lebanon, was sentenced on three charges of selling Schedule II narcotics (cocaine), two of those charges resulted in consecutive 20-year sentences with one concurrent 20-year sentence, he will serve up to 40 years in the penitentiary. The Lebanon man has a history of felony drug charges dating back to 1999 when he turned 18 years old.

Woods had previously served five years in the penitentiary for drug sales just prior to Wilson County narcotics detectives making controlled buys of over ½ gram of cocaine on three separate occasions before he was arrested on an indictment Jan. 7, 2015.

“This is the epitome of arrogance in the drug business,” Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said following the sentencing. “He apparently has not yet learned we will not tolerate selling drugs in this county without severe consequences.”

Sheriff Bryan and his detectives agreed that drug-related offenses and addictions lead to most of the crime in Wilson County even if in an indirect way. “This is a black eye in this country and a menace to our society,” Sheriff Bryan said, noting the seriousness of drug use and sales. “If you sell drugs in Wilson County, we will find you and make sure you pay the price.”

Last year, the Tennessee Department of Health determined drug overdoses in the state had surpassed the number of people killed by motor vehicle accidents and even firearms discharges in 2014. The number of drug overdoses of both street and prescription drugs have been escalating statewide for several years.

SRO Anti-Bully Camp Scores Big with Students, Parents, other Law Enforcement Agencies

The WCSO/SRO Conflict-Resolution Camp was so successful, education officials from other counties were calling Wilson County Sheriff’s Office SROs to get information to set up their own youth camps next year. This was the first ever youth camp Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan’s SRO team had ever undertaken but it won’t be the last.

Interest spiked high enough to add a second WCSO/SRO Conflict-Resolution Camp, where students were taught how to cope with bullying, peaceful conflict-resolution, dealing with peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and learning to spot online predators.

“I’m convinced this was a great success based on the reports from my SRO team, parents and students,” Sheriff Bryan said. “That says a lot when other schools want to emulate the training your SROs are offering. That’s quite a compliment, and we’re very proud of our SRO officers who participated in this program, which may provide a model for other agencies.”

SRO Lt. Scott Moore added the interest exceeded his expectations. “Response was better than I anticipated. We were a little worried if we had enough time with just a few days from the time of the camp to the start of school, getting the classes together and getting the word out that this was going to take place. This next year, we will have all year to concentrate on improving the curriculum, building upon the classes students liked and planning new classes they might enjoy.”

Interest was not a problem as the SROs found that they had to form another class in the afternoon during that week. “That’s a good problem to have,” Lt. Moore said, noting that the SROs quickly formulated a second class of 16 students for the afternoon from 1-4 p.m. following the initial morning class of 16 from 8-11 a.m. from July 25-29.

“The goal of the camp is to help our young people manage possible problems they are faced with everyday, both in and out of school,” Sheriff Robert Bryan said. “Our young people today face many more struggles and peer pressure in a more modern and dangerous world today than many of us did in school. They are confronted with so many mixed messages regarding their core values vs. bad behavior some in our culture consider acceptable.”

Lt. Moore said he asked the students to raise their hands to determine the most popular areas of instruction. He said the most popular events were a tour of the juvenile court system with Juvenile Court Judge Barry Tatum and a tour of the jail. “But we also got a lot of students telling us they enjoyed the other classes too and felt more confident going back to school this year. The parents told us how much they enjoyed it and talked about it at home. That’s what we wanted to hear.”

Eligibility requirements included any male or female with a good disciplinary school record and good attendance record who were to be in the 6^th through 8^th grades during the 2016-2017 school year. There was no cost to the students who ended their camp with a pizza party.

The crowning achievement was a competition for winning poster and winning essay they turned in at the end of camp. Nathan Martinez of Tuckers Crossroads School won the essay competition while Katelyn Anderson of Carroll-Oakland Schools took first place in the poster challenge.

“The word is spreading,” Lt. Moore said. “We’re getting calls from other schools in other counties who want to do what we’re doing here. I’m right now compiling information to send them.”

Note: The WCSO SRO school camp is not associated with Wilson County Schools.

CRIMESTOPPERS Seeking Public’s Help Finding a Stolen Zero Turn Lawnmower

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s help getting information regarding a stolen zero turn lawnmower from a building located on Sullivan’s Bend Road in Mt. Juliet.

The theft occurred sometime between the dates of June 9 and June 11 when an unknown person(s) entered the property of Central Tennessee Soccer on Sullivan’s Bend Rd in Mt Juliet, TN, and cut the lock off of a storage trailer door. The perpetrator(s) removed a 2008 Toro Z master 60” cut zero turn lawn mower from the property. The VIN and model number for the lawn mower are on file with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and that information has been entered into a national database. There are no known witnesses, and no other information is available at this time.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THESE CRIMES OR ANY OTHER FELONY CRIMES, SHOULD CONTACT THE WILSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION AT (615) 444-1459 OR THE WILSON COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS AT (615) 444-JAIL (5245). CALLERS WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS. ANY INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO THE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF THE SUSPECT COULD ENTITLE SUCH PERSON AN AWARD OF UP TO $1,000.

One-Man Crime Spree Ends Safely after DeKalb Co. Man Arrested on Multiple Charges Early Today

Wilson County Sheriff’s Office had a busy night Thursday that carried into the early morning hours today following a series of crimes ending safely with the arrest of one man reported to be armed and carrying drugs. Over the course of several hours, the man is alleged to have broken into two homes, threatened a woman while armed and carrying drugs, who was captured after stealing a car in the southeastern county.

It all began when a woman called Wilson County 911 at about 8 p.m., franticly telling emergency communications that an ex-boyfriend had forced his way into her home armed with a gun, threatening her. Once inside, the male suspect began to chase the woman throughout the home and into the yard all the while threatening her with a gun. The woman fled the scene and called 911. Upon their arrival, the responding Sheriff’s Office deputies determined the suspect had fled the scene on foot. Officers immediately rendered aid to the woman and put out an alert to other officers to be on the lookout for the suspect.

Approximately three hours later, a homeowner on Cainsville Rd. called to report that a white male had entered the residents’ home. When the residents confronted the man, they said the suspect told him he was looking for an item and then immediately fled the home on foot.

Soon afterward, a deputy who had been searching in the area looking for the male suspect in the area observed a vehicle travelling at an extremely high rate of speed. The deputy caught up to the suspect and took him into custody. The driver was identified as 32-year-old Kevin Mathew Bly of Alexandria, TN. After the stop, it was determined that Mr. Mr. Bly was operating a vehicle that had been taken from another home on Cainsville Road. The vehicle was returned the owner.

Bly was transported to the Wilson County Sheriff’s office where he now faces charges of aggravated burglary, three counts of reckless endangerment, one count of vandalism, two counts of aggravated assault and a count of aggravated criminal trespassing. Other charges include one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, one count of drug paraphernalia, one count of simple possession of a drug believed to be methamphetamine, and one count of manufacturing, delivery and sale of methamphetamine. Bly is being held on a $77,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court at 9 a.m. July 9.

“Given the nature of the offenses reported by all of the victims involved, our citizens are extremely fortunate that no one was physically harmed,” Detective Maj. Robert Stafford said. “Our deputies did an outstanding job of communicating quickly, connecting the chain of events and taking control of a dangerous situation by getting the man we believe was responsible off the streets without incident.”

WCSO to Take Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy Applications Beginning August 1

If you’ve ever considered what it’s like to be a sheriff’s deputy, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy may be just the place to learn what it takes to be a deputy on the road and in the jail or behind the scenes. Applications will be taken August 1 until the first class begins September 6.

The upcoming Academy, Class 7, will be extended to 12 weeks this session. Classes will meet 6-9 p.m. every Tuesday at the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office located at 105 E. High St., Lebanon, TN. All applicants must pass a background check in order attend.

There are no minimum physical requirements, only a desire to learn more about law enforcement and get exposure to day-to-day aspects of the many facets involved in enforcing the law and assisting fellow citizens.

“This class is designed to help foster a better understanding between the citizens and the Sheriff’s Office,” said Wilson County Sheriff’s Lt. James Lanier, who oversees the Academy along with along with numerous other veteran staffers at the Sheriff’s Office. “This is a valuable opportunity for the pubic to see how the department operates internally and its officers’ interaction with the public.”

Some of the classes provide training in areas such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, domestic violence, patrol procedures, Schools Resource Officers, Civil and Criminal Warrants, DUI awareness, handcuffing procedures and other law enforcement functions. The course also includes field trips including riding along with officers and a three-hour jail tour, a visit to the firing range, lectures by Communications dispatchers, a representative from the District Attorney’s Office, demonstrations in boating safety and the Special Response Team among other activities.

Leigh Mills, a past graduate of the Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy and current Academy Alumni Association President, said of the program, “I was extremely impressed with the program and believe other Wilson County residents can benefit from seeing exactly what the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office encounters each day. The Sheriff and his staff have created an excellent, intensive course that helps all of us better understand how the department serves the community. Each week, participants are taken through a series of classes that provide a close-up view of law enforcement techniques and shown exactly how much responsibility the Sheriff’s Office has with regard to the jail, courts, and process service functions we might otherwise never see. Presenters offer an entertaining and interactive way to learn the role of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and how it relates to our community. I would encourage anyone who has not done so to apply for this course. From graduation, participants are also encouraged to help serve the community by joining the Alumni Association, where they will have a chance to volunteer and support the Sheriff’s Office.”

Sheriff Robert Bryan started the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy four years ago to offer the community and business people a voluntary opportunity to get a better understanding of and full exposure to the Sheriff’s Office. The upcoming class is limited to 25 citizens. To apply, contact Elizabeth Anderson at wcso95.org or call at 615-444-1412, ext. 255 or email her at eanderson@wcso.org.

WCSO Sheriff/SRO Conflict-Resolution Camp Begins July 25,

Interest Increase Prompts Second Camp

Interest has spiked high enough to add a second WCSO/SRO Conflict-Resolution Camp, where students will learn to cope with bullying along with learning to spot online predators and peaceful conflict-resolution.

This is the first youth camp Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan’s SRO team has ever undertaken, and it obviously is a hit in Wilson County as the demand increased to the point that the WCSO decided to add another class. The week-long, half-day camp that runs Monday, July 25-Friday, July 29, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a second camp scheduled for the second half of the day from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“The goal of the camp is to help our young people manage possible problems they are faced with everyday, both in and out of school,” Sheriff Robert Bryan said. “Our young people today face many more struggles and peer pressure in a more modern and dangerous world today than many of us did in school. They are confronted with so many mixed messages regarding their core values vs. bad behavior some in our culture consider acceptable. Our SRO Unit wants to provide students with the tools they need to learn how to maturely manage problems and build self-confidence while avoiding becoming victims.”

Instruction areas will include such topics as: bullying; online predators; drug/alcohol awareness; confidence building, team-building exercises; a tour of the jail and examination of the juvenile court system.

“We’re really excited to receive such a tremendous response,” SRO Lt. Scott Moore said. “This is a good ‘problem’ to have so much interest. We want to accommodate as many students as possible who are interested. We are really looking forward to helping students in this camp.”

Currently, 16 are enrolled for the first class and another 16 for the afternoon class. Eligibility requirements include any male or female with a good disciplinary school record and good attendance record. Students in the camp include 23 male and 9 female students who will be in grades 6^th through the 8^th for the 2016-2017 school year.

The schedule includes:

*Bullying

*Online Predators

*Drug/Alcohol Awareness

*Tour of Jail

*Juvenile Court System

*Team Building Exercises

*Confidence Building

The cost is free to any qualifying students. For more information, please contact the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office SRO Division at 615-444-1412, ext. 487.

Note: The WCSO SRO school camp is not associated with Wilson County Schools.

WCSO to Increase Patrol on Streets and Water throughout Holiday Weekend

 The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office will conduct saturation patrols in addition to increased coverage on Old Hickory Lake this holiday weekend. Deputies and the WCSO Boat Patrol will concentrate enforcement efforts on impaired drivers to try to prevent a tragedy from occurring over the Fourth of July holiday.

The four-day holiday period officially begins Friday and runs through Monday at midnight. Sheriff’s patrols will be on the lookout for drivers who violate any traffic laws including impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding or not wearing a seat belt. The roadway overtime patrols are funded through a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office.

“I cannot emphasize enough that we want you to get out and enjoy all the festivities going on in Wilson County, but please don’t drink and drive,” Sheriff Robert Bryan said. “When you are impaired, you may not realize you can’t safely drive a car or boat. Have a designated driver in case you need one to keep yourself and all of us safe.”

Lt. Steve Gatlin, who heads the WCSO boat patrol, said his team would be working the entire time in alternating shifts on Old Hickory Lake since the fireworks display schedules are extended over a four-day period. In addition to fireworks displays on Old Hickory in Wilson County, fireworks enthusiasts  are likely to travel from Old Hickory Lake by boat to watch Nashville fireworks as well.

“When you have someone out on the boat who’s had too much to drink, that’s twice the problem,” Lt. Gatlin said. “First, they’re out on the water driving intoxicated and endangering lives, and then they jump into the truck and head home, driving impaired through the streets, often hauling a boat.”

Lt. Gatlin noted that there are more people out on the water for the Fourth of July celebrations than at any other time of the year, including Memorial Day and Labor Day. “Combining hot weather, alcohol and/or drugs and crowds of people on the water can be a toxic situation.”

Boat Patrol officers are essential during this time because the officers are also a resource for help if anyone is in trouble in addition to watching for dangerous activities. “We want everyone to have a good time, and most people will do what’s right, but we want to raise safety awareness on the water as well as the roads.”

Deputy Teresa Reeves and her mount, “Playboy,” beat out several fine service horses to take second place in the WHOA (Walking Horse Owners Association) Service Horse School trails held June 13 through June 17 at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Park in Franklin, Tn. There were numerous participants from law enforcement and search and rescue from several states. The clinic included four days of training followed by a competition the last day. On competition day in the team obstacle course, Deputy Reeves and Playboy and their team partners Linda Vadnais and her mount, “Onyx,” earned second place awards.
“It was a great run,” Deputy Reeves said. “We feel honored to have placed so well against so many excellent horses and experienced riders.” .
The WCSO offers special thanks to J.D. Harber, chief instructor for the clinic and former Metro Police with Nashville Metro Police Department for a great clinic and thanks to the other instructors Terry Palmer, Richard Verbosky, Lawrence Beal, and Kenny Daniel, and all of whom are all retired law enforcement officers. Kenny Daniel, retired TN State Park Ranger, is the father of WCSO Detective Jonathan Daniel (who serves on WCSO’s Mounted Patrol along with Deputy Reeves and Craig Anderson).