A Bradley County Fire-Rescue battalion commander is free on bond after a grand jury indicted him on sexual battery charges, according to court and jail records.
Battalion 2 Cmdr. James Clayton Smith, 48, of Cleveland, Tennessee, was released on a $5,000 bond Sunday, jail records show.
Smith declined to comment on the indictment when contacted Wednesday by phone. He has no attorney on record and faces an arraignment Monday in Circuit Court, court officials said.
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Smith, who has been with the department since 2009, has been on leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act since Aug. 5, Bradley County spokesperson Adam Lewis said Wednesday in an email. Smith's leave is scheduled to end Sept. 29.
"As of his last pay period, he was using sick time and being paid as such," Lewis said. "Unfortunately, I cannot comment further on personnel matters."
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The charge stems from a Cleveland Police Department investigation.
Investigators can't release more information or details because of the nature of the case, Cleveland Police Department spokesperson Evie West said.
"This case doesn't relate to his employment at the fire department," West said Wednesday in an email. "It occurred outside of his capacity of a firefighter."
The indictment doesn't offer more details either, alleging Smith had sexual contact with a woman without her consent and with the knowledge that the woman hadn't given her consent. The crime under Tennessee law is a felony that, upon conviction, carries a potential sentence of one to six years in prison and up to a $3,000 fine.
Interim Fire-Rescue Chief Jeff Stewart didn't return emailed requests for comment or a phone message left at department headquarters. Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis was tight-lipped on the matter as well.
"The mayor isn't making any statements on this right now," Lewis said.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.
Cleveland-Bradley County Emergency Management Agency / Firefighters with Bradley County Fire-Rescue battle a blaze at Howard's Fireworks and flea market on U.S. Highway 64 in 2022.