A Dyersburg man faces multiple charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and drug offenses, stemming from a situation that began with a report of a dog being shot. According to a post on the Dyersburg Police Department's Facebook page, the investigation led by Field Training Officer Eric Wells and his trainee, Chris Redden, escalated after they initially responded to the call on Monday.
The arrest of Ollie Brown IV was not merely about animal cruelty but also uncovered deeper criminal activities. During the search, officers found two handguns—one reported stolen out of Mississippi—various drugs, including suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, and Suboxone/Buprenorphine tablets, along with drug paraphernalia and cash.
"This was an outstanding job," praised Dyersburg Police Chief Thomas Langford, emphasizing the officers' ability to think big picture and problem-solve, as reported by the Dyersburg Police Department. After responding to the initial call, the officers could have stopped, but instead, they followed through with the investigation, leading to the recovery of weapons, drugs, and an arrest.
Wells and Redden had visited the dog owner, Cecelia Gauldin, who reported her neighbor shot her dog, necessitating a leg amputation due to bone damage. Despite citing Gauldin for letting her dog run loose, the officers pursued the investigation further. They identified Ollie Brown as the alleged shooter who claimed to have acted out of fear, as the dog appeared aggressive, stated in an official report from the department.
Checking into Brown's past, the officers learned he was a convicted felon with prior violent offenses, rendering him restricted from owning a firearm. "That's the first thing we did," Wells said, revealing the focused approach to the case. "We went back and checked to see if he was a convicted felon," he told the Dyersburg Police Department, underlining the importance of due diligence that ultimately led to the discovery of firearms and illicit substances at Brown's residence.
The items seized in the search by Wells, Redden, and other assisting officers included a 9-millimeter Glock handgun, a .40-caliber Ruger handgun, about a half-ounce of suspected powder cocaine, a gram of methamphetamine, six suspected Suboxone/Buprenorphine tablets, over five ounces of suspected marijuana, and materials commonly associated with the sale and distribution of narcotics.
Over $300 in cash, believed to be proceeds from illegal drug sales, was also found. Brown now faces charges outlined in the DPD report, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession and/or theft of a firearm under $2,500, assorted drug charges, and possession of various forms of drug paraphernalia.
