From WRIL -
Middlesboro Officer Ryan Collins states that on Thursday August 27, 2020 business owner Leann Smith came to the police station to report a theft by deception by a tenant of hers, 43-year-old Daniel Jones of Middlesboro.
Ms. Smith stated that she and her brother had met Jones while in college and agreed to let him stay in a rental property they owned at no charge in return for his service on other rental properties they owned.
At some point Jones was not holding up his part of the agreement causing Smith to send out a letter on August 1st letting Jones know his services were no longer needed. The letter included a text message from Jones on July 10th stating he would return all property to the Smiths.
It was also determined that Jones went to 15 different tenants collecting rent during June and July of 2020 signing his name on receipts for 11 of those tenants. The payments were never turned into the Smiths totaling $6035 in rent.
During his investigation, Officer Collins made contact with each resident the Smiths were missing rent payments from and statements were taken from 9 individuals that stated Daniel Jones collected from them.
Officer Collins located Jones, arrested him on Thursday September 10, 2020, and he was lodged in the Bell County Sheriff’s Department charged with (12) twelve counts of theft by deception under $500 (4) four counts of theft by deception under $10,000.
Jones also had an outstanding warrant out of Madison County in regard to theft by failing to make required dispensation of property over $500. Michael Stotts of Madison County states that on May 6, 2016 Jones took a $2,200 check in return for services, but he never completed the job and cashed the check. He was also served an indictment warrant.