Two Arrested On Felony Vehicle Theft, Drug Charges

Tyler Stith (25) of Smiths Grove

Harley Jessie (28) of Bowling Green

Edmonson Voice Report:
Two men have been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after a suspected stolen vehicle traffic stop turned into more.

According to a press release from the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, they received a call for assistance from the Smiths Grove Police Chief who had made a traffic stop at the 2200 block of Chalybeate Road on a suspected stolen vehicle.

The subjects in the vehicle were identified as Harley Jessie (28) of Bowling Green and Tyler Stith (25) of Smiths Grove. According to the Sheriff's Office, the vehicle’s VIN plate on the dash had been removed but still confirmed to have been stolen from Southern Recycling. Authorities said the same vehicle was suspected to have been used in two trailer thefts in Edmonson County; one belonging to Townsend Tree Service, which had already been recovered by the Sheriff’s Office, and the other belonging to Cole Logsdon, which was later recovered in Barren County, through the assistance of Barren County Sheriff’s Office and Glasgow Police Department. The VIN plates on that trailer had also been removed, the Sheriff's Office stated.

According to the press release, consent to search the vehicle was given to Edmonson County Sheriff’s Office where they reportedly found drug paraphernalia and suspected methamphetamine.

Jessie and Stith were both charged with:

• Drug Paraphernalia—Buy/Possess
• Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, 1st Degree/1st Offense (>2 GMS methamphetamine)
• Obscuring the Identity of a Machine, $10,000 or more
• Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition—Auto, $500 or more but under $10,000
• Receiving Stolen Property $10,000 or more

Stith was also discovered to have an active bench warrant out of Hart County for a probation violation in connection to charges stemming from Theft by unlawful taking or disposition—firearm.

“It is always a good day in law enforcement when multiple agencies can work together to recover stolen items and get drugs off our streets," Sheriff Shane Doyle stated. "The Sheriff’s Office was happy to assist Chief Franks, with the Smiths Grove Police Department on the initial call, as well as have BGPD arrive and further assist at the scene, and then later have Barren County Sheriff’s Office and Glasgow Police Department assist to recover a stolen trailer.”

Both Jessie and Stith were transported to Edmonson County Sheriff’s Office and later lodged in Hart County Jail. Further charges are pending in Edmonson and surrounding counties.