What will The Dragonater do with $35,000.....?
Mercedes, church bus retrieved from lake - "A Mercedes-Benz 300SL was pulled from Melton Hill Lake today, the second submerged vehicle recovered since an operation began Monday. Police are tight-lipped about the retrieval efforts, which are a joint operation involving the Oak Ridge Police Department and the Anderson County Sheriff's Department. Members of the sheriff's department's dive team are participating in the search for additional vehicles." Related? "They are looking for a specific vehicle, and its not a stolen car investigation.
If they find it, it will break a huge case."
"Mike Hearon went missing on Saturday, August 23, 2008 from his home in Happy Valley. He was last seen leaving his home on Bell Branch Road on his all-terrain vehicle. His ATV was found a few days later, but no signs of Mike or any clues as to what may have happened to him have been found. This site is dedicated to sharing what we know about Mike's disappearance with the hope of finding more information. Mike's story has recently been added to America's Most Wanted's website. In honor of the one year mark of Mike's disappearance, family and friends are attempting to increase the reward amount for information regarding Mike's disappearance. Funds will only be collected if the Blount County Sherriff's Department deems the information given warrants a reward."
-FindMikeHearon.com
"After four days of exhaustive searching by law enforcement and hundreds of volunteers, the search for a missing Happy Valley man will be scaled down and backcountry search operations will be halted. The decision was made at about 4 p.m. Friday, said Blount County Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Jeff French. Michael Hearon, 51, was last seen by a neighbor on his ATV Saturday and has not been heard from since. Hundreds of volunteers and officials covered about 450 acres. Tactics included an aerial search Friday with assistance from the Knox County Sheriff's Office helicopter, cadaver dogs from North Carolina, sheriff's deputies on horseback, private citizens with horses, ATVs and grid searches of the backcountry on foot. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Public Affairs Officer Bob Miller said Friday that rangers will also no longer be participating in large-scale searches. Anyone with information that could assist in locating Michael Hearon should immediately call the Blount County Sheriff's Office 24-hour hot line at 273-5200."
-Maryville Daily Times, Search for missing Blount man scaled back, August 30. 2008
"I'll burn your house down, set your dog on fire and there won't be a member of your family left, do you understand me? I won't hire it done, I will do it myself! Do you understand me?"
-Blount County sheriff James Berrong, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Nuchols v. Berrong, No. 04-5645, July 11, 2005 (NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FULL-TEXT PUBLICATION)
A reliable little birdy told The Dragonater that the location of Hearon's rotting corpse is known to police. The Dragonater has reported on numerous local "unsolved" murders committed with immunity by "police informants" (or by police death squads). Did Blount sheriff Berrong deny cooperation with America's Most Wanted on this case, after ending the "massive search" after only 4 days? Hearon reportedly went missing in a supected drug deal gone bad, or by stumbling across an embedded pot farm (a popular operation by TN sheriffs). TN leads the nation in sheriffs convicted of dope dealing. FBI reports that over $1-billion in cocaine flows through Blount County's McGhee Tyson airport every year, in 1980s "Federal" Reserve Notes (not counting CIA coke and Afghan heroin by Skull & Bones' "Federal" Express). Blount County renamed Pellissippi Parkway in honor of the alleged crack cocaine kingpin of East TN...... I wonder why the smartest bikers stay away from the Dragon?
"Pellissippi Parkway renamed the Senator Carl Koella Memorial Highway. A former police chief's home burned down due to arson, coincidentally as he investigated Senator Koella's crash. Ex-cop J.D. Smith was also a political candidate for the Tennessee state legislature. The fire destroyed many of his Koella files, but some information did survive. The Sevier County resident checked out Koella's alleged bar-room antics at the Airport Hilton with Tennessee governor Don Sundquist, prior to the senator's fatal crash. The private detective was on the trail of allegations that Senator Koella was kicked out of the Hilton bar by a bouncer, due to Koella's inebriated state. The governor's aircraft was parked next door at the Cherokee Aviation terminal."
-The Prohibition times, Blount County Highway Named for Convicted Hit-and-Run Killer of Biker Tourist
FBI Investigation of Blount County public servants
Ellsberg ties FBI to Martin Luther King shooting, Knoxville News-Sentinel Page 1 banner headline, 12 November 1978
My Story By Jamey Hearon
AmericasMostWanted.com (web exclusive)
My Father in Law has been missing since August. 2008. Mike is a wonderful father and friend to everyone. He is the type of man that would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He is an easy going, fun loving guy who loves living life. He is not perfect, but something I admire about him is that he would never claim that he was. He is kind hearted and generous and can always be counted on by his family. He is an easy going, fun loving guy, who loves to live life. Our family wonders everyday what has happened to Mike.
Michael Hearon was last seen on Saturday, August 23, 2008 around 11:00 a.m. He was leaving his bell branch residence in Tallassee, Tenn. on his four-wheeler.
That morning, Mike had called Matt and Andy, his sons, to tell them that he was leaving his condo in Maryville, TN to mow and bush hog at his Happy Valley property. He spoke with Andy and left matt a message. Mike usually let matt and Andy know when he was going to Happy Valley so they knew he would be hard to get a hold of since there is no cell phone service there. He has a house phone but worked a lot outside on his farm. He went by Andy's house to pick the mover and loaded it on his trailer. Andy saw Mike pulling onto highway 321(near Andy’s home) with the mower on the trailer. He was turning as if he was headed to go over the parkway that leads to his bell branch property. On the way, Mike spoke to a friend, told him he was at or near the parkway and he would call him when he reached his bell branch house. There is limited service on the parkway.
Neighbors say, they witnessed mike drive his truck, down Bell Branch Road toward his home. They also say he was with the trailer and mower. His Friend reports that mike called and told him that the grapes were not ready to be picked, so he was going to mow and bush hog. About 15 minutes later, he left on his 4 wheeler. Neighbors say he waved Goodbye as he drove away from his house, down bell branch road.
That was the last time Mike was seen or heard from. Friends who went to look at the cattle later on Sunday say, Mike's truck remained parked at the end of the road with the trailer still attached and the mower still on the trailer. The family says, Mike normally parked his truck at the end of the road to load and unload the trailer, and then moved it closer to the house.
Mike's parents live at an adjacent property, they went by his house on Sunday but did not go inside. Monday morning they went by again, saw his truck in the same place then went inside the house. The door was unlocked but mike did not always lock his doors. They looked around the house and yard but did not see their son. They called matt and told him that his dad was not there, so matt checked his condo in Maryville and found his car and motorcycle both parked in the garage, nothing was out of place. Mike's Parents continued to check the bell Branch property, at his house they found his keys, cell phone, money clip (with credit cards, license and money), and gun, all in his truck. Matt and Andy arrived at Bell Branch to join the search for Mike, they noticed one of his four wheelers missing. After riding around Mike's property (about 75acres), Matt called the police.
The missing four-wheeler was found on august 26 about a mile from Michael's house. It was neither wrecked nor damaged. Blount County Police along with volunteers searched the area where the ATV was found and the surrounding area by a grid search. The search included an aerial search, cadaver dogs, police and volunteers on horseback and ATVs as well as hiking trails in the area. Unfortunately, no other clues or information have been found explaining Michael's disappearance.
We believe that someone out there knows something about Mike's disappearance, and we are pleading for anyone to come forward with information -- even if it doesn't seem relevant.
A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Hearon's location. The sheriff's office offered $5,000, and an anonymous contributor added $10,000.
Our lives have changed so much since August 23, 2008. There are a lot of things that I think about when I think of Mike, and I am so thankful that they are good things. But I do feel that our family has been cheated of many more good memories we should have with him. One thing I know Mike talked about looking forward to was becoming a grandfather. It breaks my heart to think of how great he would be with his future grandchildren and what he would have brought to their lives.
We miss him very much and have not given up hope of finding him. We know someone out there knows something about his whereabouts, and we hope and pray they will come forward with this information.
Sheriff threatens women, elderly, even Commissioners
Citizens for Better Government
Blount County Tennessee
Recently, there have been disturbing reports of harassment and threats by some members the Blount County Sheriff’s department against citizens of the county who dare to criticize the department.
The latest example occurred at the January Commission meeting. Ron McTigue, 77 years old, found himself being waved out of the Commission room into the hall by Sheriff James Berrong. The Sheriff told McTigue that if he continued to ask questions about what happened to the 28 Sheriff’s vehicles missing from the recent inventory, that he would sue McTigue. Mr. McTigue, is seriously ill, partly from the lifelong effects from being a Marine fighting in Korea. The cost of drugs for he and his wife leave very little extra money. He was shaken by the Sheriff’s threat, particularly because, just a few months ago, in a similar encounter, the Sheriff ordered McTigue “to be in my office tomorrow at 10am”. McTigue declined the Sheriff’s order. Strangely, a black unmarked car followed McTigue home from the Commission meeting and parked in front of his house for more than four hours. In fear for his safety and the safety of his wife, McTigue sat for the entire time behind his door with a shotgun ready. But McTigue is not about to knuckle under to the Sheriff’s threats. Mr. McTigue says:”I did not get shot at in Korea only to be intimidated by a Sheriff who refuses to answer a simple taxpayer question.”
Sadly, this is not the first time the Sheriff and some members of his department have tried to harass or intimidate citizens. In 2005, the county paid $50,000 of taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment suit filed by a county employee against the Sheriff.
In an even more serious case, Sheriff James Berrong and the County are being sued for more than a million dollars by an elderly lady, because the Sheriff allegedly told the woman that he would burn her house down, set her dog on fire, and kill everyone in her family.
The Sheriff’s department has also attacked leaders of citizens groups who question the actions of the department. In a recent letter to the editor, the Assistant Deputy Chief for Internal Affairs and Training, (ironically the guy within the department responsible for maintaining standards of professionalism) called the leader of a leading citizens group a “vampire”. His choice of words tells us everything we need to know about his professionalism.
More Sheriff’s harassment was directed at another citizens group when the group placed flyers critical of the Sheriff, but supporting the working-level deputies, on a table designated by the Commission for such materials. One of the Sheriff’s deputies grabbed the flyers off the table, saying “this material don’t need to be here” and threw the flyers in a garbage can. When a member of the citizens group questioned why the deputy did such a thing, the deputy replied: “because I wanted to, and because I can”. The deputy continued, telling the elderly man “you can get it out of the trash can if you want one”. An immediate public complaint was made to the Mayor, who was chairing the meeting. The Mayor said such conduct was unacceptable and promised to deal with the matter like a “Marine drill sergeant”. Weeks later, when questioned about what disciplinary action had been taken, the Mayor said it was “the Sheriff’s problem”. Now, months later, there is no sign that any disciplinary action was taken by Sheriff Berrong.
Even County Commissioners are victims of harassment by the Sheriff and his minions. In one recent case, a Commissioner requested copies of certain expenditures made by the Sheriff’s department. His request was greeted by a letter, from the Assistant Deputy Chief of Internal Affairs and Training, which accused the Commissioner of having “stupid tendencies” and being a “coward”. The Sheriff’s Assistant Deputy Chief went on to say: “You are absolutely scared to death to come to the Sheriff’s Office and meet”. While the Commissioner is not a coward, who could blame him for being reluctant to come to the Sheriff’s office, in view of the harassment and threats recounted here.
There are many good, professional, deputies who work at the Sheriff’s department. They understand that their job is to uphold and enforce the law. Unfortunately, there are also a few people at the department (who are often in senior positions) who don’t seem to take professionalism seriously. They seem to think they are the law. Those people are no better than the thugs they are supposed to be chasing.
Will Court decision mean more threats from the Sheriff?
Citizens for Better Government
Blount County Tennessee
You have worked for an organization for years. One day your boss calls you in. He tells you he has a tape of a conversation where his wife, suspicious about his extracurricular activities, asked you to confirm her suspicions. He tells you that: “your ass is fired, you get out of here”. He then tells you: “I’ll burn your house down, set your dog on fire and there won’t be a member of your family left, do you understand me?” Then he adds “I won’t hire it done, I will do it myself! Do you understand me?” Would you feel that your rights have been violated?
This is the scary picture painted in a recent lawsuit ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of appeals. These threats were not made by some Mafia thug. They were allegedly made by Blount County Sheriff, James Berrong.
Incredibly, the Court of Appeals concluded Berrong’s threats did not rise to a constitutional violation because the threats did not “shock the conscience”. We do not know about the Appeals Court Judges, but these threats surely shock consciences of most of our citizens – especially when the come from the top law enforcement officer in Blount County.
The department is already facing multiple $1,000,000+ lawsuits alleging serious mistreatment of citizens – including a local physician. The lack of professionalism at the top of our Sheriff’s Department seems to have the county careening toward disaster.
Our greatest concern is that this court decision will encourage even more threats and intimidation of citizens by the Blount County Sheriff’s Department. Be careful out there – especially of the top dogs in our Sheriff’s department.
