Whitwell chief’s mother, stepfather and former city manager charged in TBI theft ring probe

Johnny Gholston

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation theft ring probe that last week landed the Whitwell police chief in jail now has led to charges against his mother, stepfather, a former Whitwell city manager and a man who allegedly stole property on the chief’s behalf.

Jerry Jones

The four arrests on Friday bring the total to five so far in the investigation into a local theft ring involving stolen property, drugs and food stamps, and more arrests are pending, said Melydia Clewell, spokeswoman for Hamilton County District Attorney General Neal Pinkston’s office.

Pinkston’s office presented the case to the Marion County grand jury in Jasper last week, filling in for 12th Judicial District Attorney General Mike Taylor’s office. Taylor’s office stepped aside because it prosecutes Whitwell’s cases.

Doris Gholston

Whitwell police Chief James Rodney Easterly was jailed last Thursday on charges of conspiracy to commit theft, possession of a controlled substance for resale, conspiracy of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, fraudulent receipt of food assistance, official misconduct, theft of property, coercion of a witness, tampering with or fabricating evidence, and possession of a firearm during the commission of attempt to commit a dangerous felony.

Easterly was freed on a $38,000 bond.