Livingston Enterprise

Posted November 27, 2013 at 4:06 pm

A former softball coach for the Tennessee Orange Crush softball tam who is accused of the solicitation of a 13-year-old girl appeared in Overton County Criminal Court on November 15 with Judge David Patterson presiding.

Patrick L. Johnson, 37, of Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, appeared with his attorney, Jason S. Whatley and applied for judicial diversion in the case.

Enterprise readers may remember Johnson was arrested back in July of this year after parents of a 13-year-old girl contacted the Overton County Sheriff’s Department and asked the department launch an investigation into Johnson’s conduct concerning their daughter. Johnson had allegedly been sending inappropriate and explicit text messages to the girl.

Overton County Sheriff’s Department Lead Detective Tom Rosecrants kept the girl’s cell phone and iPad and launched his own “catch-a-predator” sting operation. Rosecrants, with permission from the girl’s parents, pretended online to be the young girl. According to reports, he was then able to set up a private meeting between himself and Johnson.

It was at that time, according to reports, that Johnson allegedly showed up for the meeting and was arrested for solicitation.

Judicial diversion in the case was not granted on Friday. Instead, Judge Patterson continued the case until January 17, 2014.

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A Monterey man accused of the fall 2012 shooting death of Donnie Wayne Tayes appeared November 15 in Overton County Criminal Court with Judge David Patterson presiding.

Travis Wayne Melton, who is being held at the Overton County Jail, is accused in the shooting death of Tayes, who was 39 and of Cedar Chapel Road in Monterey at the time of his death. Tayes was allegedly found dead with a gunshot wound to the back, lying face down in Melton’s back yard on September 17, 2012.

According to the arrest warrant, Melton confessed to shooting Tayes one time with a .243 rifle. Officers with the Overton County Sheriff’s Department arrested Melton later that day.

Melton is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and assault with threat of bodily injury. Local attorney Michael Giaimo is representing Melton on the charges.

Judge Patterson said various motions and discoveries are still being filed in the case, and with that in mind, set another court date for February 3, 2014.