Developing story: 2 Sevier County deputy clerks charged after FBI raids Sevier County Courthouse

[Jilly_in_VA]

UPDATE 6 PM THURSDAY: Two Sevier County Clerk's Office deputy clerks face federal charges of obstructing interstate commerce, part of a wider investigation that looked into cocaine trafficking in Sevier County, records show.

Roberta Lynne Webb Allen, 55, appeared Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Knoxville before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton. She faces two counts of the federal charge "to obstruct, delay and affect commerce and the movement of articles and commodities in commerce by extortion."

Webb Allen appeared before Guyton wearing handcuffs and leg shackles. She'll be allowed to be released before federal trial, but she also faces a related misdemeanor charge in Sevier County for which she must post bond, authorities said.

Webb Allen wept at times during her roughly 20-minute court appearance.

Guyton set her trial date for Dec. 14, although initial trial dates rarely go through. The magistrate judge noted Webb Allen has no criminal history.

Also charged, records show, is Brandy M. Thornton, also a deputy clerk in the Sevier County Clerk's Office.

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/fbi-raids-sevier-county-courthouse/51-bc88a757-0a1a-4fcd-92c8-be615ea456c4
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This is going to get interesting!

[SheltieLover]

1. Reeeaaaallly dirty county!

[CousinIT]

2. I'm beginning to think Sevier and other counties in TN are criminal enclaves.

Based on this, and a relative's issues with a damn crook of a builder there.

[SheltieLover]

4. I had an pregnant addiction client

Who was on methadone. Cop told her "I think I saw you driving last week." Locked her up!

Big deal because they refused to allow her medication, which would cause miscarriage because the baby would go into seizures if the mom went into withdrawals.

I know this to be factual. Personally spoke to cop & coordinated MD call with a judge.

They knew this because another pregnant client had been jailed there, refused to allow med doses, & baby died.

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. It used to be

that Cocke County, next door, was well known as the dirtiest county in east Tennessee. Still is, to some extent. As my late ex was fond of saying (he was, when we first moved down there, shift supervisor at a knitting mill in said county), "You can buy anything or anyone you want here." I-40 runs right through it. It was at one time famous for moonshine and bootlegging. When we moved there, it was pretty well-known for prostitution, gambling, and cockfighting. Some parts still are. They also grow pretty good weed. However, it's cleaned itself up some. At least, as we said down there, the part that shows. Don't ask about the back country.

Sevier County wasn't known for that kind of thing nearly as much. Gatlinburg is a big tourist town, as is Pigeon Forge. But lately there's been a lot of drug activity, much of it, sadly, from the Latino community. And a few local people who want to make money from it. And some Latino drug guys preying on local women, I suspect. Anyway, that's my take.

[SheltieLover]

5. See #4 above

[Duppers]

6. Sad.

The beautiful state has a history of corruption problems.
Old article here:
https://www.salon.com/2014/06/26/how_tennessee_became_the_most_corrupt_state_in_the_union_partner/