Sexual battery plea nets 3-year sentence

Mar. 4—A Crossville man facing an aggravated sexual battery charge pleaded guilty in Cumberland County Criminal Court as a Range II offender to sexual battery and received a three-year sentence to be served at 100%.

Joshua Clay Smith, 30, entered the plea Feb. 24. He is being given credit for 258 days in jail where he has been incarcerated since his June 8, 2023, arrest.

The charge is the result of a Crossville Police Department investigation and claims sexual contact was made with a victim age 13 or under between August and December of 2020. The sentencing agreement falls within the state guidelines and was entered with knowledge of the victim's family, prosecutors said.

In other cases on the docket, the following took place:

Trial set

—Christopher Jacques Baird, child abuse, neglect or endangerment, motion hearing set for April 5 and trial set for April 23. Aggravated assault and domestic assault, continued to April 23 for tracking.

—Darren Wayne Joiner, aggravated assault and domestic assault, set for trial April 23 as backup case to the above.

Deadline docket

—Matthew Shane Breeding, second offense driving under the influence, per se (blood/alcohol level .08% or higher), resisting a stop, arrest or search and simple possession, continued to March 8.

—Cameron Lee Caughron, driving under the influence, per se, continued to April 22.

—David Edward Marshall, auto burglary and theft of property of $1,000 to $2,500, continued to April 22.

—Jody Drug Morgan, theft of property of $60,000 to $250,000 and vandalism of $1,000 to $10,000, continued to April 22.

—Ian Malcolm McFarlane Morin, burglary, theft of property of up to $1,000 and vandalism of $1,000 to $2,500, continued to March 8.

—Robert Eugene Presley Jr., auto burglary, possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of meth with intent and possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, continued to April 22.

—Dustin Ryan Seney, aggravated assault and domestic assault, continued to April 22.

Arraignment

—Franklin Kim Moss, driving under the influence, per se, and evading arrest, continued to April 22.

Motion/petition

—Jason Michael Brooks, sexual battery and incest, motion hearing continued to April 8.

—Robert Charles Taylor, theft of property of up to $1,000 and violation of the sex offender registry form, dropped on motion.

Probation violations

—Brandon Pierce Boswell, Public Defender's Office appointed to represent Boswell, continued to March 8 for status of ongoing treatment program.

—Millicent Lee Houston Feddon, pleaded guilty to a probation violation, 90 days in jail at 75% with credit for any time served, after which probation will be terminated and restitution converted to civil action.

—Benjamin Journal Jackson, pleaded guilty to a probation violation, 30 days in jail at 75% with credit for any time served and then to be reinstated back on probation for the balance of a one-year sentence.

—George Isaac Warner, pleaded guilty to a probation violation and is to serve 120 days in jail at 75% with credit for time served. Probation will be terminated at conclusion of sentence.

Michael Moser may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com