News Herald Arrest Report
| Lenoir City physician suspended after stalking
Staff Reports
A Lenoir City physician has been suspended from practicing medicine.
The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners took action Sept. 26 on a
violation by Dr. Stephen D. Pershing for “engaging in the practice
of medicine when mentally or physically unable to safely do so.” The
board cited Pershing as “guilty of unprofessional, dishonorable or
unethical conduct.”
According to an order of summary suspension, Pershing was found
unsafe to practice medicine due to his mental state until he has
obtained a “multidisciplinary evaluation, which would provide a
diagnosis for his condition.”
“There is a likelihood that the public health, safety and welfare
would be in jeopardy if his medical license remains active,”
according to the summary.
Pershing, owner of Celestine Health Systems in Lenoir City, was
investigated by the Board of Medical Examiners in relation to his
treatment of a woman he dated about 4-6 weeks in 2015.
The woman terminated the relationship because Pershing was
exhibiting “odd behavior, such as communicating with a spirit named
Michael Pershing.”
According to documents related to the suspension, despite the
breakup in 2015, Pershing still believed he and the woman were in a
relationship.
“(Pershing) is under the belief that in 2015, (the woman) was
kidnapped and has been held hostage since,” according to the finding
of facts in the case. “Respondent believes that (her) kidnappers
were involved in opioid and human trafficking. Respondent believes
that (the woman) has a Bluetooth device around her neck which is
used by her kidnappers to monitor her location and any communication
she has with others.”
He has followed the woman on a bicycle while she walks on the
Knoxville Greenway, periodically left flowers and gifts at her
doorstep and attempted to rent the condominium next door but was
unable to and rented one in an adjacent neighborhood.
Pershing believes he and the woman had plans to be married in Spain
but were prevented by kidnappers. He also believes he and the woman
secretly purchased land and commissioned the construction of a new
home while she was being held hostage.
“In reality, (the woman) did build herself a new home, but during
the construction, (Pershing) would text her photographs of her new
home and tell her that this was his new home,” according to the
findings.
Pershing also began attending the woman’s church and would send her
text messages in church describing the clothes she was wearing.
“(Pershing) sent a friend named Gary and two armed men to (the
church) … to rescue her from her kidnappers,” the findings read.
“(She) was approached by Gary and told that a car was waiting for
her. She observed a man wearing a gun standing next to the car. When
(she) asked for help Gary ran out of the church. (Pershing) stated
that the church rescue did not go as planned because a medical
colleague of his betrayed him by injecting (the woman) with gamma
hydroxybutyric, otherwise known as the ‘date rape drug,’ and
prevented her rescue.”
Prior to the incident at the church, Pershing had indicated to the
woman many times that he “would take her to heaven with him.”
“(Pershing) told the (Health Related Board) investigator that he
is not afraid to die and further said that (the woman) was the
most important person in the world to him,” according to
findings. “He indicated that God put him on this earth to rescue
(the woman) and to do something about the opioid crisis in
America.”
The woman then contacted Knox County Sheriff’s Office and July
10 filed a petition for a temporary order of protection. On
Sept. 16, the woman contacted Loudon County Sheriff’s Office to
file an incident report concerning a possible violation of the
order of protection as she observed Pershing leaving her
neighborhood and found a bottle of a brand of water Pershing
drinks next to her mailbox. The previous week she had found a
dime on the ground next to her mailbox and believes Pershing
placed it there “because of his affinity for dimes.”
On Sept. 21, the woman informed a HRB
investigator that she had been finding small crosses and dimes
both in her mailbox and on her front porch.
According to findings in the case,
Pershing exhibited similar thoughts related to his ex-wife when
he became convinced she was being followed by men who were
attempting to assassinate her and that one had planted a bomb on
her car.
Dr. Michael Baron, Tennessee Medical Foundation medical
director, believes Pershing could be having a psychotic break
and should be evaluated, according to case documents.
As result of the findings, Pershing was ordered to cease and
desist from practicing medicine in the state of Tennessee until
otherwise ordered by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners.
“The board strongly encourages (Pershing) to undergo a
multidisciplinary evaluation and follow any recommendations
resulting from that,” according to the order of suspension.
“However, merely completing the evaluation may not result in the
suspension of (Pershing’s) license being lifted.”
Agents make drug bust on Rock Springs Road
Five people are facing drug charges after agents with the Loudon
County Narcotics Unit, Lenoir City Police Department, 9th Judicial
Drug Task Force and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation executed a
search warrant Dec. 18 at a residence on Rock Springs Road.
William Anthoney Hout was found in the kitchen with .5 grams of
marijuana, 2.5 alprazolam and one subutex, according to a report
from Loudon County Sheriff’s Office Inv. Jamie Ketner. Timothy Mark
Yarbrough was located in the living room with .1 grams of heroin in
a mint container.
“Michael (Blake) Henry and April (Lenore) Lowery were in the one of
the back bedrooms,” Ketner wrote in a report. “One marijuana pipe,
three spoons with residue, cotton, a Coke can lid (used for
narcotics), a baggie with crystal residue, two syringes and
approximately .5 grams of methamphetamine were located in the room
they were located.”
Jessica Nichole Ward was found in Hout’s bedroom standing next
to a dresser when agents entered the room. There was .5 grams of
meth on the dresser, along with one bottle of testosterone,
syringes, a grinder and a spoon.
“Approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine and .5 grams of
marijuana was located in a cigar box located in the living
room,” Ketner wrote in a report. “All suspects denied ownership
of the narcotics ... in the living room. During a mirandized
interview, Mr. Hout told agents that he knew methamphetamine was
being sold out of his house. Mr. Hout’s address is within a
1,000 feet of a drug free zone.”
Hout, 35, Lenoir City, was charged with maintaining a dwelling
where drugs sold, manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of a
Schedule II substance, four counts of simple possession/casual
exchange and possession of drug paraphernalia and held $22,500
bond.
Yarbrough, 34, Knoxville, was charged with two counts of simple
possession/casual exchange, manufacture, delivery, sale or
possession of a Schedule II substance, possession of drug
paraphernalia and assisting other agency and held on $13,000
bond.
Henry, 38, Loudon, was charged with manufacture, delivery, sale
or possession of a Schedule II substance, simple
possession/casual exchange, possession of drug paraphernalia and
a juvenile attachment and held on $16,150 bond.
Ward, 32, Loudon, was charged with manufacture, delivery, sale
or possession of a Schedule II substance, possession of drug
paraphernalia and simple possession/casual exchange and held on
$12,000 bond.
Lowery, 42, Loudon, was charged with manufacture, delivery, sale
or possession of a Schedule II substance, possession of drug
paraphernalia and simple possession/casual exchange and held on
$12,000 bond.
Dec. 17
• Derik James Adams, 35, Greenback, was charged with felony
evading and driving on a revoked/suspended license and released
on $10,000 bond.
• Dusty Ray Atkins, 32, Loudon, was charged with failure to
appear-general sessions and released on $4,000 bond.
• Johnny Anthony Black, 59, Madisonville, was charged with two
counts of juvenile attachment and released on $691 bond.
• Joshua William Boyd, 27, Lenoir City, was charged with public
intoxication and released without bond.
• Michael Allen Gaines, 30, Knoxville, was charged with
violation of probation and held without bond.
• Kimberly Jean Roberts, 47, Lenoir City, was charged with
electronic tracking of motor vehicles and released on $1,000
bond.
• Charles Leslie Stinnett, 48, Loudon, was charged with criminal
court capias and released on $7,500 bond.
• Dustin Levi Wilson, 29, Knoxville, was charged with municipal
court capias and released on $1,000 bond.
Dec. 18
• Brittany Leanne Darnell, 27, Maryville, was charged with
violation of probation and released on $2,000 bond.
• Christopher L. Gowan, 35, Maryville, was charged with public
intoxication and released without bond.
• Leisa Danielle Jackson, 24, Harriman, was charged with a Roane
County warrant and released without bond.
• Demarcus Dequan Oneil, 23, Knoxville, was charged with general
sessions court capias and released on $4,000 bond.
• Rodney Wayne Presley, 38, Sweetwater, was charged with two
counts of domestic assault-misdemeanor and held on $2,000 bond.
Called to Blue Springs Road in reference to a domestic
disturbance, LCSO Deputy T.J. Scarbrough was advised by dispatch
of a man and woman yelling. He was also made aware the man ran
outside. Scarbrough spoke with a woman who said Presley had
gotten mad because she questioned him about a syringe found in
his bedroom. She said Presley yelled, threw dishes at her and
tore a door off its hinges, and that she tried ignoring him over
the couple hours he argued. The “victim said she was going to
fix something to eat but couldn’t find a can opener, and Rodney
woke up and wanted to help and she asked him to stop. Rodney got
mad and began yelling and cursing at her and throwing dishes,”
according to the report. Presley told the woman to leave. After
trying to get warm clothes to stay outside, Presley followed the
woman throwing items and put her in fear of her safety,
according to the report. Presley refused to let her leave by
pushing her over and into a wall along with punching her on the
side of head and slapping her. Presley then ran outside and into
the woods.
• Matthew Brandon Russell, 34, Loudon, was charged with
violation of probation and held on $2,000 bond.
Dec. 19
• Christopher Michael Bertram, 31, Kingston, was charged with
manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of a Schedule II
substance and driving on a revoked/suspended license and held on
$10,000 bond.
• Michael Eugene Chastain, 45, Loudon, was charged with
violation of probation and held on $1,000 bond.
• Kaleigh Janee Collins, 25, Lenoir City, was charged with
violation of probation and released on $10,000 bond.
• Bryon Cody Copeland, 26, Harriman, was charged with failure to
appear and held on $4,000 bond.
• Drayma Renee Hicks, 57, Knoxville, was charged with failure to
appear and released on $5,000 bond.
• Alexis Winne Jenkins, 48, Loudon, was charged with general
sessions court capias and released on $2,000 bond.
• Jennifer Mae Lowe, 33, Wartburg, was charged with municipal
court capias and held on $3,000 bond.
• Matthew Carl Marsh, 34, Loudon, was charged with a
juvenile attachment and two counts of general sessions court
capias and released on $2,150 bond. Marsh was also arrested
Friday for driving on a revoked/suspended license and
released on $1,000 bond.
• Bradley Alexander Williams, 26, Lenoir City, was charged
with violation of community corrections and failure to
appear and held on $2,000 bond.
• Ashley Ann Wilson, 28, Lenoir City, was charged with
manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of a Schedule II
substance and failure to appear and held on $8,500 bond.
Dec. 20
• James R. Abengowe, 35, Knoxville, was charged with driving
under the influence and held without bond.
• Crystal Marie Brown, 36, Philadelphia, was charged with
misuse of the 911 emergency system and released on $1,000
bond.
• Randon Shawn Massey, 25, Loudon, was charged with domestic
assault-misdemeanor and released on $2,000 bond.
• Petru Scolnic, 20, Knoxville, was charged with driving
under the influence, simple possession/casual exchange and
driving without a valid license and released on $5,500 bond.
• Gabrielle Nicole Sharp, 29, Rockwood, was charged with
contraband in a penal institution, driving under the
influence, due care, financial responsibility law, violation
of implied consent and vandalism and released on $9,000
bond. Responding to an incident on White Road in which a
vehicle crashed into a residence, LCSO Deputy Lance Anderson
arrived and saw a blue 2018 Nissan Altima lodged in a corner
of the building. Anderson spoke with Sharp, who was sitting
in the driver’s seat. “The offender stated she didn’t recall
how the crash occurred but stated she was looking for a
friend’s house in Anderson County,” Anderson wrote in a
report. “The offender stated she did not know where she was
and had been following her GPS.” Sharp declined standardized
field sobriety tests, but agreed to doing an HGN test, which
she performed poorly. The vehicle was a rented by Ronald
Wallace. Anderson could not find proof of auto insurance.
After being transported to jail, a prescription bottle
labeled for Ronald Wallace with 12 blue oval alprazolam
pills was found on Sharp.
• Sherron Lee Shelton, 49, Lenoir City, was charged with
criminal court capias and held on $40,000 bond.
• Vincent John Sutton, 35, Harriman, was charged with
violation of probation and held without bond.
• Anthony Laroy Washington, 26, Oak Ridge, was charged with
general sessions court capias and held without bond.
Dec. 21
• Timothy Jacob Carpenter, 36, Lenoir City, was charged with
failure to appear and released on $1,000 bond.
• Joseph Paul Fitch, 39, Niota, was charged with
manufacture, sell, delivery or resale of a Schedule II
substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a
revoked/suspended license and held on $22,000 bond.
Observing a white Ford F-150 with a male passed out behind
the wheel with the vehicle running, Loudon Police Officer
Bennie Houser met the driver and asked for his license. The
driver, identified as Fitch, said the license was somewhere
in the vehicle. “He kept reaching toward the glove box and
then turning back toward me and then stated he didn’t know
where they were,” Houser wrote in a report. “I then asked
him to step out of the vehicle and his wallet was in his
back pocket.” Dispatch advised Houser that Fitch’s license
was revoked. Fitch also had a parole card stating he was a
drug offender. After asking Fitch if he had any drugs in the
vehicle, he claimed he didn’t believe so. He then admitted
there were drugs in a black box sitting in the floor after
he was asked again. The box contained 21.3 grams of
methamphetamine, a loaded syringe, a spoon and a set of
digital scales.
• James Ryan Johnson, 29, Maryville, was charged with
general sessions court capias and held on $1,000 bond.
• Stephanie Lynn Mangan, 52, Lenoir City, was charged with
driving under the influence and held on $8,000 bond.
• Alisha Nicole Stanifer, 34, Knoxville, was charged with
criminal impersonation and driving on a revoked/suspended
license and released on $3,500 bond.
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12/31/18