Rossville theater director charged with statutory rape

♦ The 32-year-old is out on bond on five charges after being accused of actions with underage girls in early 2017.

A popular North Georgia theater director was arrested in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Friday, Dec. 14, on multiple statutory rape charges stemming from allegations that he had sexual contact with two underage girls in 2017.

According to Hamilton County, Tennessee, jail records, 32-year-old Joshua Conrad “JC” Smith was arrested on five counts of aggravated statutory rape. He has been released on bond.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Smith on Dec. 12 over the actions that allegedly took place with the girls in early 2017.

Over the past decade, Smith has become a notable name in the North Georgia and Chattanooga performing arts scene.

He is the founder and owner of Closed Door Entertainment in Rossville, a theater company that has produced shows at The Catoosa County Colonnade, and more recently at the Tivoli and Memorial Auditorium.

Woman charged with threatening to kill dad

A Ringgold woman was arrested after she allegedly threatened to kill her father during a domestic dispute, police say.

According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office:

Rikki Lucretia Burnsed, 24, of Marion Drive, was arrested Dec. 13 on a charge of terroristic threats and acts. She has been released on bond.

Deputies responded to a 911 call on Marion Drive around 6:40 p.m. after a man claimed Burnsed threatened to kill him, reports show.

Deputies arrived to find Burnsed sitting in her vehicle outside the residence.

“The offender stated nothing was going on and that she was leaving the residence,” Corporal Aaron Cantrell said.

Burnsed added that she was leaving because she had been threatened; however, the victim told a different story. He said he called 911 about an hour after arriving home because Burnsed was yelling at him and making threats on his life.

The victim claimed Burnsed threatened to have some people come to the residence and kill him, and even went further by claim- ing she’d kill him herself, reports show.

After the 911 call was made, the victim claims Burnsed began gathering some of her personal belongings and went outside to her vehicle.

Two witnesses in the home backed up the victim’s story, claiming they heard Burnsed’s death threats.

When Crpl. Lawson placed Burnsed under arrest, he says she began screaming across the yard at the victim blaming him for her being taken to jail.

Gun, electronics stolen from truck in Graysville

A handgun and other items were recently stolen from a vehicle in the Graysville area of Catoosa County, police say.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, the theft occurred the morning of Dec. 10 on Creek’s Jewel Drive.

Deputies were dispatched to the residence just after 8 a.m. when the victim discovered items missing from his 2007 Chevrolet Silverado.

The victim said the items were in the vehicle the night before (Sunday), and that he made the discovery at approximately 7:40 a.m. Monday morning

A Ruger .380 pistol, Garmin GPS unit, and a phone charger were taken from the vehicle during the incident.

Detectives say a similar incident was reported a few minutes earlier on the same street involving another vehicle being ransacked.

Anyone with information about the burglary or the missing property is encouraged to contact Detective Daniel Thacker with the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office at 706-935-2424.

Man arrested on gun, drug charges after probation visit

A Catoosa County man is back in jail after he was found to be in possession of a gun and drugs when his residence was checked out by his probation officers, police say.

According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department:

Raymond Wilver Santillano, 30, of Yates Springs Road in Ringgold was arrested Dec. 13 on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of amphetamine.

Santillano remains in Catoosa County where he’s being held without bond.

The Sheriff’s Office was notified of the goings on at Santillano’s residence shortly after 5 p.m. on Dec. 13 when probation officers stopped by the home for a field test.

“During their walkthrough of the residence, she discovered the firearm in the offender’s bedroom floor in plain view,” Lt. Anthony Lawson said.

A glass pipe containing drug residue was also found in a bathroom sink, and Santillano allegedly admitted to officers that a second glass pipe was wedged between couch cushions in the living room, reports show.

After the weapon and drug evidence was collected, Santillano was placed under arrest and taken to jail without incident.

Expired vehicle tag leads to drug bust on US 41

Three people traveling together were arrested after an expired vehicle registration led to the discovery of meth, police say.

According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office:

Andrew Aukake Rita, 33, and James Edward Dixon, 40, both of Rossville, were arrested Dec. 13 on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute.

Rita garnered an additional charge of possession of drug-related objects, and the driver of the vehicle, 46-year-old Johnny Torres, was arrested on charges of suspended registration, driving on a suspended license, and no proof of insurance.

Bonds have been set at $15,000 and $4,400 respectively for Rita and Torres. Meanwhile, Dixon has been denied bond at this time.

Sheriff’s Deputy Katherine Moody pulled the trio over about a quarter after 4 p.m. on Dec. 13 in Ringgold’s 1400 block of U.S. 41 after she noticed an expired sticker on the vehicle’s tag.

Torres was quickly arrested for his three traffic violations, but shortly thereafter, Moody says she spotted drugs in the vehicle.

“I observed multiple small plastic bags sticking out of the pocket on the back side of the driver’s seat,” Deputy Moody said. “The bags were small jeweler’s type bags commonly used in the possession and repackaging of drugs.”

In the vehicle, seven total bags were found that contained meth, reports show.

The drugs were linked to Rita, who was sitting right behind the driver’s seat in the vehicle, essentially with the drugs near his lap in the seat pocket in front of him.

Rita even admitted that the drug product was his, Moody wrote in her report.

Two more bags of meth were found in Dixon’s jacket pocket when he was searched.

The vehicle was towed by a local wrecker service and the three offenders were taken to Catoosa County jail without incident.