For the third time in eight months, Marty McDivitt has been arrested and charged with crimes related to his Covington car business. McDivitt was booked into the Tipton County Jail Nov. 8 and charged with two counts of filing a false sales tax return, which are felonies. He bonded out the same day and is scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing on June 19, 2020. The … [Read more...] about Covington car dealer Marty McDivitt arrested for the third time
Courts
‘This went on for awhile’: Two new victims speak in Ronnie Gorton sentencing hearing
Ronnie Gorton has lost his youth pastor look but he hasn't lost his emotionless stare. Sporting a goatee and dressed in a red jumpsuit, which signifies he's segregated from the rest of the jail population, he sat unexpressive from behind the counsel table during the first part of his sentencing hearing Friday. The second part – the actual sentencing – will come next month … [Read more...] about ‘This went on for awhile’: Two new victims speak in Ronnie Gorton sentencing hearing
‘He preyed on the flock’: Gorton found guilty on all counts
[metaslider id=2771] Former Atoka pastor Ronnie Gorton and his father, Bob, embraced in the hallway before walking in to listen to the verdict. As each guilty verdict was read – two counts of exploitation of a minor, two counts of contributing to a minor, two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors, seven counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, 10 counts of statutory … [Read more...] about ‘He preyed on the flock’: Gorton found guilty on all counts
‘It just never stopped’: Ronnie Gorton victim testifies he underwent daily abuse
Every single night. That’s how often the victim in the first of Ronnie Gorton’s three cases said he endured being sexually abused. “It just never stopped,” he said. The abuse began the day he moved into Gorton's Drummonds home and, said the teenager, intensified over the next year and a half. He testified Gorton, who was then the pastor of The Awakening Church in Atoka, used … [Read more...] about ‘It just never stopped’: Ronnie Gorton victim testifies he underwent daily abuse
Ronnie Gorton’s former best friend testified he confessed to molestation
Ronnie Gorton sat emotionless behind the counsel table Monday – in a suit and tie this time, instead of jeans and a t-shirt – while witnesses each took a turn on the stand. One-by-one the state's witnesses shared pieces of the story which led to Gorton's indictment for sexually assaulting teenagers. The victim's great aunt said there were red flags and she asked the victim to … [Read more...] about Ronnie Gorton’s former best friend testified he confessed to molestation
No plea deal for former Munford pastor Ronnie Gorton
The day before he was set to stand trial, the former Munford pastor accused of sexually assaulting teenagers was expected to make a plea deal. However, no deal with the state was reached Monday. Ronnie Gorton, who was the pastor at the now-shuttered Awakening Church, was indicted in both March 2018 and July 2018 after three teenaged boys accused him of sexually assaulting and … [Read more...] about No plea deal for former Munford pastor Ronnie Gorton
Mother of four indicted for sexual abuse, neglect
A Millington mother, currently pregnant with her fourth child, was charged in a 13-count indictment last week. Ashley Nicole Thomas, 28, was charged with aggravated child neglect (8 and under), aggravated child neglect, four total counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, criminal responsibility for rape of a child (four total counts), sexual battery by an authority figure and … [Read more...] about Mother of four indicted for sexual abuse, neglect
Mother of four indicted for sexual abuse, neglect
A Millington mother, currently pregnant with her fourth child, was charged in a 13-count indictment last week. Ashley Nicole Thomas, 28, was charged with aggravated child neglect (8 and under), aggravated child neglect, four total counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, criminal responsibility for rape of a child (four total counts), sexual battery by an authority figure and … [Read more...] about Mother of four indicted for sexual abuse, neglect
