CLAIBORNE COUNTY, Tenn. — Six people are in custody and eight more are being sought after a joint sex offender compliance operation in Claiborne County.
The Claiborne County Sheriff's Office said its deputies joined officers with the U.S. Marshals Service, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and others to ensure people on Tennessee's sex offender registry were complying with the laws on May 10 and 11.
The CCSO said a total of 14 people were charged as a result of the operation, saying it has arrested six of those people.
Investigators said they checked to ensure offenders had current registry information and that there were no prohibited minors in their homes, saying they found 25 registry violations along with other offenses such as marijuana possession and someone failing to appear for a court date.
"This was an extremely successful operation that makes it safer for the citizens of Claiborne County. One of the main accomplishments of my administration has been establishing partnerships with State and Federal agencies like the United States Marshals Service, and this operation is a result of those partnerships," Claiborne County Sheriff Bob Brooks said.
The following people were arrested:
- Bobby Ryan Lawson - 2 counts of Violation of the Sex Offender Registry
- Joseph John Buska - 3 counts of Violation of the Sex Offender Registry
- Daniel Allen Turner - 7 counts of Violation of the Sex Offender Registry
- William Coudell - I count Violation of the Sex Offender Registry and Felony Possession of Marijuana for Resale
- Birchel Bussell - 1 count of Violation of the Sex Offender Registry
- Melvin Eugene Lee - Failure to Appear
The CCSO said the operation is ongoing and it expects to arrest the eight others who were charged in the near future.
