A couple that used a phony wreck call to distract police while they robbed a Tellico Plains drug store at the end of March have been indicted by the Monroe County grand jury.

Erica and Adam Stinnett were allegedly casing Tellico Drugs on March 23 when they decided to create a diversion to get a cop out of town and Erica Stinnett called in a four-car accident with injuries at the intersection of Fairview Road and Wilson Circle.

That intersection happens to be outside of the Tellico town limits and normally wouldn't interest Tellico Police, but the nearest sheriff's deputy was several miles away and Tellico Patrolman Brian Millsaps answered the call as a first responder.

Millsaps couldn't find the wreck and became suspicious it might be a diversion. He and a sheriff's deputy drove back into town where they discovered Tellico Drugs had been broken into and a large quantity of narcotics taken.

Tellico Police Detective Tonia Norwood and Investigator John Brown began to investigate and after checking into the 911 call about the wreck, began to zero in on Erica Stinnett, 24. Stinnett had given her name as Allison Freeman, but when Freeman was contacted, she said it wasn't her, but probably her cousin Erica. Stinnett's aunt also identified her as the voice on the tape.

Officers went to the Stinnett home on Mecca Pike Thursday and spotted Erica Stinnett trying to escape out of a rear window. She was caught by Brown and taken to the Tellico police department where she admitted to calling in the false wreck and burglarizing the drug store.

Adam Stinnett reportedly broke into the drug store by prying open the drive through window with a pry bar.
Adam Stinnett, 27, was arrested a few days later after he was spotted in a pick up truck. Officers had been trying to find him at an Old Federal Road home, but he wasn't there. Stinnett fled in the truck and he was later spotted by Madisonville City Officers on Maxwell Road and taken into custody.
Both Stinnett's were indicted on charges of burglary and theft under $500. Erica Stinnett was also charged with filing a false report. They have a status hearing scheduled for Aug. 24.

Other indictments handed down by the grand jury include:
Eric Sean Hawkins, 28, Corinth Road, Loudon, burglary, theft over $1,000, status hearing Sept. 28.

Jaclyn Marie Farrar, 20, Meadow Lane, Sweetwater, forgery, status hearing Aug. 24.

Scott Maxwell Burris, 47, Walker Road, Tellico Plains, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, three years suspended after 120 days.

Brandon Halliburton, address unavailable, theft over $60,000, conspiracy to commit theft, status hearing Sept. 28.

Deanne Halliburton, address unavailable, conspiracy to commit theft, theft over $500, status hearing Sept. 28.

Todd Erwin Andrews, 27, Patterson Street, Madisonville, domestic assault, resisting arrest, status hearing Aug. 10.

Joseph Brent Berryhill, 28, Old Slag Road, Vonore, initiating the process to manufacture methamphetamine, eight years suspended after 90 days.

Gary Dan Borden, 47, Arwood Lane, Madisonville, driving on a suspended license, habitual motor vehicle offender, status hearing Aug. 17.

Brian Lewis Cogdill, 32, Fairview Road, Sweetwater, simple possession, unlawful possession of a weapon, status hearing Aug. 24.

Richard Antonio English, 48, Highway 360, Tellico Plains, aggravated assault, status hearing Aug. 24.

Willie George Fann, 28, Pike Street, Athens, possession of cocaine for resale, status hearing Sept. 28.

Travis James Farrell, 27, Meadow View Acres, Madisonville, theft over $1,000, status hearing Sept. 28.

Brian Keith Foxx, 18, Ridge Road, Madisonville, four counts burglary, theft under $500, theft over $1,000, status hearing Aug. 10.

Aaron M. Watson, 18, Cedar Lane, Madisonville, four counts burglary, theft under $500, three counts theft over $5,000, status hearing Aug. 10.

Lisa Renee Johnson, 42, Sweetwater/Vonore Road, Sweetwater, theft under $500, status hearing Aug. 17.

Keona Nichole Kelso, 18, Oak Hill Drive, Sweetwater, vandalism, status hearing Sept. 21.

Joseph Locasto, 44, Apache Court,Vonore, DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, vandalism, status hearing Aug. 17.

Jose Maria Monje, 27, Cannon Avenue, Sweetwater, sell/delivery of cocaine, $2,000, eight years suspended after 120 days.

Susan Leanne Fry, 25, Old Federal Road, Madisonville, sell/delivery of cocaine, $2,000, eight years suspended after 120 days.

Jada Nicole Russell, 20, Old Federal Road, Vonore, retaliation for past actions, status hearing Sept. 28.

Terry Lynn Sparks, 43, Mulberry Road, Maryville, DUI, driving on a suspended license, status hearing Aug. 17.

Misty Gail Yearwood, 31, Ball Play Road, Madisonville, theft, 11/29 suspended.

Adam Victor Toepfer, 27, Maple Street, Sweetwater, evading arrest, two years suspended; possession of drug paraphernalia, $100, 11/29 suspended; driving on a revoked license, $75, six months suspended after 48 hours.

Trent Toepfer, 29, Morningside Drive, Knoxville, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, $2,000, two years suspended.

Heath Jackson, 28, Maple Street, Sweetwater, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, status hearing Aug. 10.

Kenneth Erick Waldrop, 20, County Road 498, Etowah, first degree murder, status hearing Aug. 17.

Christopher Shane Yates, 25, Doeskin Road, Sweetwater, initiating the process to manufacture methamphetamine, simple possession of marijuana, status hearing Oct. 26.

April Brooks Jenkins, 38, Shortbark Road, Madisonville, forged prescriptions, status hearing Sept. 21.

Dennis Lee Meadows, 35, Wayman Road, Madisonville, nine counts sale/delivery of a schedule II narcotic, six counts sale/delivery of a schedule III narcotic, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons, altering serial numbers, theft under $500, status hearing Aug. 24.

Effie Meadows, Wayman Road, Madisonville, possession of prohibited weapons, altering serial numbers, theft under $500, status hearing Aug. 24.

Vincent Centaur, 45, Townsend, two counts theft over $1,000, status hearing July 20.

Pleas heard in criminal court included:
Misty Hawkins, 33, Trigonia Road, Greenback, 13 counts forgery, two years suspended on first two counts, 11 counts dismissed; two counts identity theft, dismissed.

Michael James Norris, 32, Sunset Drive, Sweetwater, sale/delivery of methamphetamine under .5 grams, $2,000, eight years suspended after 90 days.

Susan Leanne Fry, 25, Old Federal Road, Madisonville, sale/delivery of cocaine under .5 grams, $2,000, eight years suspended after 120 days.

Jeffery Dale Gunter, 27, Kile Road, Sweetwater, sale/delivery of methamphetamine under .5 grams, $2,000, eight years at 30 percent.

Elizabeth Presley, 37, Sinking Creek Road, Madisonville, aggravated statutory rape, two years suspended after 60 days, register as a sex offender.

Sharon Farner, 30, Laurel Creek Road, Tellico Plains, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, $2,000, three years suspended.

Timothy C. Saunders, 38, Barnes Lane, Vonore, evading arrest, $50, 11/29 suspended; reckless driving, $50, six months suspended.

Jerry Worthy, 47, Vinegar Ridge Road, Madisonville, possession of marijuana for resale, $2,000, three years suspended.

Carl Edward Montooth, 38, County Road 319, Niota, DUI, $350, 11/29 suspended after 48 hours.
Lisa Kizer White, 45, West Toomey Lane, Madisonville, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, $2,000, three years suspended.

Floyd Lee Hawkins, 53, Highway 360, Vonore, aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery, two years suspended each count.

Angelia Michelle King, 43, West Madison Avenue, Athens, simple possession of methamphetamine, 11/29 suspended; possession of drug paraphernalia, 11/29 suspended.

Sammy Charles Turner Jr., 31, Bethlehem Road, Madisonville, promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine, three years; possession of drug paraphernalia, dismissed.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575