Former Capt. Warren Tanner Charged with Sexually Abusing Minor

The former commander of a Fairbanks-based Alaska State Troopers detachment faces charges of sexually abusing a minor.
   
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports former Capt. Warren Tanner, 75, was arrested Friday in North Pole. He was arraigned Saturday on six counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

According to charging documents, authorities allege the abuse started as early as 2003 and occurred as recently as 2011.

Court records show that the victim’s mother found text messages on her 14-year-old daughter’s cell phone “indicating she had been sexually abused” by Tanner.

A police affidavit states that the messages “stated the abuse had taken place from the time (the victim) was three or four years old and continued until she was 11-12 years old.”

During her interview, the victim disclosed “numerous incidents of sexual contact” with Tanner over several years. All but one incident took place at Tanner’s home, the victim reported. That incident outside the home allegedly took place in Tanner’s RV “during a fishing trip to Valdez when (the victim) was 11-12 years old.”

On Friday Feb. 21 the victim’s mother confronted tanner about the abuse. The police report indicates Tanner admitted to the mother the abuse took place, but Tanner refused to turn himself in to Troopers and instead said he would seek counseling regarding the alleged abuse.

Tanner is being held in the Fairbanks Correctional Center on no bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled March 4.

Officer Jimmy DeSpain Arrested for DUI

A Dyersburg police officer was arrested over the weekend on charges related to driving under the influence.

Jimmy DeSpain was arrested by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in Lauderdale County.

According to a police report, DeSpain was swerving over road lines. He reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he had four or five beers.

The police department placed DeSpain on administrative leave without pay during the course of an investigation.