A former Cleveland police officer, already facing charges related to selling prescription painkillers, now stands charged with two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to District Attorney Steve Bebb.
Nathan Thomas, 37, turned himself in to the Bradley County Jail at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.
Thomas reportedly posted bond, which was set at $50,000, and was released from jail at 3 p.m. the same day.
Thomas was the second former Cleveland police officer arrested on sex charges Thursday.
Former Cleveland police officer Dennis Hughes turned himself in to the Bradley County Jail Thursday at 10 a.m.
Hughes was charged with three counts of statutory rape, one count of especially aggravated sexual exploitation, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to District Attorney Steve Bebb.
Hughes posted bond, which was set at $100,000, Thursday afternoon. He was released at 1:30 p.m.
A Bradley County grand jury met Thursday morning and indicted Hughes and Thomas on the sex offenses based on an investigation led by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
According to reports, the investigation stemmed from an incident on Jan. 5 when Hughes was arrested on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a 16-year-old girl, who was reported as a runaway.
According to the affidavit of complaint dated Jan. 5, Hughes was observed leaving Thomas' home at 152 Winding Glen Drive N.W. at 12:40 a.m. with the 16-year-old girl in his vehicle.
Bradley County deputies initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of Lauderdale Highway and Mouse Creek Road. When deputies searched Hughes' vehicle, they allegedly found numerous empty and full beer bottles and prescription pill bottles. Deputies also detected both Hughes and the girl had a "strong smell of alcohol about their person."
According to the TBI's search warrant, after the girl was apprehended, she was taken to a hospital for a rape examination.
The examination was reportedly conducted at the request of her parents.
During the examination, the girl reportedly admitted that in the past she had sexual intercourse with Hughes; however, the female said there had been no sexual contact at the time of his arrest Jan. 5.
Through the search warrants, agents with the TBI confiscated a cell phone and computer from Hughes' vehicle. According to the TBI's search warrant, agents performed a forensic examination of the cell phone and "found three pictures of an underage and under-developed female in the nude."
During an interview with Cleveland Police Detective Suzanne Jackson on Jan. 12, the girl reportedly told Jackson the cell phone pictures found in Hughes' possession were allegedly taken by Hughes in a bathroom at Thomas' residence on the night of Jan. 4.
According to the TBI's search warrant, during the interview with Jackson, the girl alleged that on Jan. 4 she and a 17-year-old girl were at the Thomas home.
The 16-year-old girl reportedly told Jackson she engaged in oral sex with Hughes and the 17-year-old engaged in oral sex with Thomas. The 16-year-old reportedly told Jackson she and the 17-year-old were under the influence of alcohol during the incident.
During the search warrant's execution at Thomas' home, TBI agents photographed Thomas' bathrooms to compare with the background of the nude pictures of the 16-year-old girl.
Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned at the Bradley County Criminal Court March 30.
Hughes is scheduled to be arraigned at the Bradley County Criminal Court March 2.
According to Tennessee law, if Hughes and Thomas are convicted they will have to register annually with the state of Tennessee as sex offenders.
Hughes and Thomas continue to be investigated by the TBI, Hughes in connection with the shooting of a city police officer and Thomas for selling prescription painkillers.
According to reports, on Nov. 30, 2008, city police officer Chris Mason and former city police officer Jonathan Hammons, 23, -- who were on duty -- were at the home of Hughes, who was off duty, shortly before midnight.
The men were reportedly looking at a .38 caliber revolver which was possibly for sale. During the handling of the firearm the gun discharged and struck Mason in the hand, Cleveland Police Chief Wes Snyder said in a December 2008 statement.
The incident was initially reported as an accidental shooting; however, after further investigation it was determined Hammons and Hughes allegedly gave investigators false information.
Hammons was arrested Dec. 17, 2008, and was charged with aggravated perjury and filing a false report in connection to the shooting.
Hughes was arrested Dec. 18, 2008, and was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, aggravated perjury and filing a false report in connection to the shooting.
On the night of the shooting, Nov. 30, 2008, officers found a prescription pill bottle with Thomas' name in Hughes' personal vehicle.
As a result of the shooting investigation, Hughes resigned from the Cleveland Police Department in December 2008.
Hammons and Thomas were dismissed from the department in January.
Thomas was arrested Jan. 5, in connection with a two-year investigation by the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force.
As a result of the investigation, Thomas was charged with prescription fraud, possession of Schedule II and III narcotics for resale and simple possession of a Schedule V narcotic.
According to reports, the Drug Task Force's investigation alleges Thomas was a patient of Dr. James Wallace Sego. Thomas was allegedly prescribed 6,000 oxycodones, 1,100 hydrocodones and 790 Xanax within one year's time by Sego.
Thomas is being accused of selling the prescription painkillers.
Sego practices internal medicine and pain management at Bradley Executive Plaza located at 1510 Stuart Road N.E.
Sego was also arrested Dec. 18, 2008, and charged with felony counts of illegally selling prescription painkillers and other drugs.
Agents with the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force served a search warrant for Thomas' residence on Dec. 12, 2008.
According to the inventory on the search warrant, agents found "a large cardboard box with extremely large amounts of various drugs, samples, etc. (too numerous to list individually)," weapons, syringes and cell phones.
"One white plastic snorting device (ink pen) with yellow residue" was found in the master bedroom in a decorative drawer near the top of the dresser, along with several other items, such as "one prescription box w/1 glass vial inside labeled DEPO-Testosterone."
Among the weapons were two .22-caliber Glenfield rifles, one with a serial number and one without, and a Sig Sauer P2229 .40 caliber.
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Other Information: http://www.newschannel9.com/news/arrest_975865___article.html/cops_girl.html
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