WARREN COUNTY, Tenn.- The son of the Warren County Animal Control Director has been arrested after police found marijuana growing behind the shelter.
Officials said 34-year-old Jonathan Ewell Smith was caught red handed tending and growing a marijuana patch on county property behind the Warren County Animal Control facility. Smith is the son of Warren County Animal Control Director Tammy Webb.
Webb has not been charged with any crimes, but she's on administrative leave while the sheriff's department finishes the investigation. Police said they are working to determine if she had any knowledge of the marijuana grow operation.
"At this time she denies involvement in it. She did give a statement that she knew her son had started these plants several months ago in some pots at her house," said Kevin Murphy a Warren County Deputy.
Investigators are looking at telephone records to see if Webb knew about the marijuana behind the facility she was running. County Executive John Pelham said Smith was actually working at the facility for his mother. She was paying him out of her own pocket to help him pay off some fines. Pelham says Webb told him about the incident, but it was two days after her son's arrest.
"She spoke to me about the innocence of her son, that she did not believe that her son had anything to do with this. Although that's not my place to judge," said Pelham.
Police said this was not Smith's first run in with the law. He's had several prior arrests for DUI and possession of marijuana.
The county's health and welfare committee oversees the animal shelter. Webb's employment status will be decided in a couple of weeks by the committee after the police investigation is finished.
Webb's absence means there's only one part-time employee taking care of dogs and cats. Right now, she is not picking up animals unless it's an emergency.
