Jackson Co. sheriff arrests two county officials

[Red James Cash]

Jackson Co. sheriff arrests two county officials

Updated: Tue 6:29 PM, Jan 14, 2014

Jackson Co. sheriff arrests two county officials

McKee, Ky. (WKYT) - MCKEE, Ky. (WKYT) - Jackson County sheriff Denny Peyman says he’s found evidence of wrongdoing going back decades, but on Tuesday Judge-Executive William O. Smith, and treasurer Beth Sallee were arrested in what Peyman calls just the ‘tip of the iceberg.’

“People have not been able to go to a Fiscal Court Meeting without being bullied, thrown out of a meeting,” said Peyman.

Peyman says the arrests follow an audit of the year ending June 30, 2011, and he says it deals with unaccounted for money.

“What it appears, what is coming back now is the rich getting richer, poor getting poorer,” said Peyman.

“Have no idea what is going on,” Smith said as he was led out of the judicial center in handcuffs.

Neither Smith nor Sallee had any comment. Both were loaded into Peyman’s black Mustang, which he says is the only vehicle the fiscal court has allocated for him to drive.

“They came in and stripped my budget. Took everything from me. Left me with my mustang. Couldn’t take that because it is a forfeiture,” Peyman said of the car missing a bumper and part of its fender, and with no clear signs it is a police cruiser.

The arrests of the officials did not sit well with some and some didn’t like the fact that news media was there to cover it.

“If this gets on the news…you’re hurting. Get out of here!” said one man to reporters.

Others welcomed the arrests with open arms.

“I think Jackson County is now a free county. We’ve been under a dictatorship for several years now,” said Geraldo Serrano, who referred to himself as a concerned citizen who has attended several county government meetings in recent months.

Both Smith and Sallee face abuse of public trust, engaging in organized crime including extortion or coercion, tampering with public records, forgery in the second degree, falsifying business records and criminal facilitation.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[NHBandit]

The Sheriff has a Mustang huh ? Don't try to outrun the Constable in Sevier County Tennessee. Saw this parked at Smoky Mountain Knife Works this Spring. In TN the Constables buy their own cars and can use anything they want as long as it's White. The state supplies the decals.

 

[worldtalker]

The Sheriff has a Mustang huh ? Don't try to outrun the Constable in Sevier County Tennessee. Saw this parked at Smoky Mountain Knife Works this Spring. In TN the Constables buy their own cars and can use anything they want as long as it's White. The state supplies the decals.

Smoky Mountain Knife Works,one of my favorite places! Ever cross over into Cocke County?

 

[Rebel - KGC]

PROBABLY seized "drug assets"; our L.E. (Law Enforcements) has MANY "HOT" cars... ZOOOMMMM!

 

[NHBandit]

Smoky Mountain Knife Works,one of my favorite places! Ever cross over into Cocke County?

Yep. We go through Newport to get to Sevierville. Rebel this one isn't. In Tennessee Constables don't normally do law enforcement unless asked to back up the "real" police. Their main duties are serving subpoenas and things of that nature. They have to buy their own cars and don't get a regular paycheck. They get paid according to how many people they serve with papers. In fact wordtalker mentioned Cocke County ? I read a story recently that a couple of Constables there a few years back had their Blue lights and their guns taken away because of rumors they were pulling people over for DUI and drug violations, robbing them, and then letting them go... It's an "interesting" part of the state.. lol