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Friday, October 30, 2026Oct 30

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Dalton man gets probation in Monroe town takeover attempt

A Dalton, Ga., man who traveled to Madisonville, Tenn., on April 20 to “take over the town” was sentenced to six months probation Wednesday.

Darren Wesley Huff, 41, was found guilty of disrupting a meeting, a Monroe County Circuit Court official said Wednesday.

The prosecutor moved not to go forward for now with two other charges, riot and retaliation for a past action, court officials said. The ruling of nolle prosequi means those charges were dismissed but could come back again, records show.

Investigators said Huff traveled to Madisonville to support U.S. Navy retiree Walter Fitzpatrick III, 56, of Sweetwater, Tenn. Fitzpatrick has been challenging grand jury panels throughout the country, charging that grand jury foremen and forewomen have become “tools” of prosecutors and judges.

On April 1, Fitzpatrick barged into a closed grand jury meeting to make a citizens’ arrest of Monroe County grand jury Foreman Gary Pettway. Fitzpatrick was arrested.