Sheriff Tommy Jones' Inner Circle, Don Charest

A Senior member of the MCSD Reserve Officer Program has "packed up, and moved out of town"  

It couldn't have come at a worse time for Sheriff Tommy Jones. A person who could have shed light on the inner workings of what a reserve officer actually does, has within two months, sold his property and moved out of Monroe County.

* Update 2018: Don Charest is no longer affiliated with the MCSD...the sheriff's dept is staffed with honorable men and women: moving forward in a new direction...

An inside source revealed that Don Charest sold his Coker Creek homestead within a week of being on the market. A county land transfer record shows that it was priced low enough for a "quick sale."...

Charest had formerly been in the Tellico Plains Police Reserve under a cloud of controversy, along with former chief Bill Isbell. Former Tellico Plains Mayor Roger Powers felt that both Isbell and Charest lacked transparency and honesty, and he "booted them out." An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury revealed missing or un-accounted money from fundraisers and missing guns...

Charest has returned from time to time to manage or liquidate his assets at the Madisonville SDS gun store, which he co-owns with Ray Kough. During his visits back to Monroe County, he has stayed in an 'out-of-the-way' cabin in Coker Creek, driving a vehicle not formerly associated with him...

The SDS gun store operators were "giddy with excitement" after Jones was appointed interim Sheriff on 12/9/2014. They even made a webpage for him on their website claiming "they finally had someone they could work with."

My Career Has Been Ruined For "No Reason"

Former MCSD Captain Kenny Hope blamed 'others' for his downfall; he was unable to handle the pressure of being under investigation

On a 'good day' former Captain Kenny Hope performed well, and was like-able. His downfall began during the Jim Miller homicide investigation and the comments that credible witnesses in the community allegedly heard him say--to be clear, it was decided by former DA Bebb that Hope had nothing to do with the Jim Miller murder; but, his comments to the media didn't jive with what other long-time locals knew...he claimed his only contact with Jim Miller was during a traffic stop. This was claim was refuted in court by several witnesses including TBI agent Barry Brakebill. 

Brenda Stakely said she had heard Kenny Hope say "he had killed Jim Miller, put him in the trunk, and burned him like the pig he was." Another witness (Jim Plemons), testified that he heard Kenny Hope say how much "he hated Jim Miller and (former sheriff) Doug Watson."

Kenny Hope tried to clear his name by way of comments to the media--'bad mistake'--an important lesson missed by some current MCSD officials in 2017.

Kenny Hope's final 'swan song' remark after being cleared as a murder suspect, correctly described his conduct.

Using NO REASON when he made public statements, which may at a later time appear as false or misleading.

NO REASON for 'breaking rank'-- when he called the news media after being cleared as a suspect to say, " MY CAREER HAS BEEN RUINED FOR NO REASON." 

NO REASON for showing a lack of inter-agency cooperation and sensitivity for the family of the victim, by making un-authorized statements to the media while he was still employed by the Monroe County Sheriff's Dept.

Oddly enough, Kenny Hope's phone voicemail greeting started with, "You have the right to remain Silent."....if had he used his own advice before and after being cleared as a Suspect....he might still be a Law Enforcement Officer.

3 weeks after he was cleared as a suspect, while still employed by the Monroe County Sheriff's Dept., Hope was allegedly found by Madisonville P.D. outside a woman's home holding a club and smelling of liquor. 

This is a reminder that --
"Suspects are presumed to be Innocent"....."Suspects are not presumed to be Intelligent."