Theft of Services Complaint Results in Felony Drug Arrest

James Michael Tarkington (60) of Centerville, TN

Darren Doyle, story:
A Tennessee man was arrested and faces felony meth charges after a theft of services complaint on Wednesday afternoon, according to local law enforcement.

The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office said they responded to a complaint call of theft of services from Warren Rural Electric around 4:45PM on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 in the 5000 block of Segal Road. Officials stated that law enforcement made contact with James Michael Tarkington (60) of Centerville, Tennessee in the yard of the residence in the complaint. A sheriff’s deputy observed what appeared to be a knife clipped to the right front pocket of Tarkington’s pants and instructed him to keep his hands out his pockets, to which Tarkington immediately responded by sticking both hands in the front pockets of his pants, the Sheriff's Office stated.

According to law enforcement, Tarkington was instructed to remove his hands from his pockets and the deputy advised Tarkington that he was going to do an exterior frisk for weapons, which resulted in the discovery of a knife and drug paraphernalia. The Sheriff's Office also stated that the drug paraphernalia contained a significant amount of suspected methamphetamine.

Tarkington was arrested and charged with:

• Possession Controlled Substance 1st Degree/1st Offense (methamphetamine)
• Drug Paraphernalia—Buy/Possess

Tarkington was lodged in Hart County. The WRECC theft of services complaint is an ongoing investigation with further charges pending.

According to Sheriff Shane Doyle, a common theft of services offense is when someone runs an extension cord to a nearby unattended structure to steal electricity. He also said he has seen where individuals have dangerously tied in to a main line off a utility pole.