How Could You? Hall of Shame-Jeff Ownby UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Knoxville, Tennessee, Knox County Commissioner and foster parent, Jeff Ownby, 45, was arrested for indecent exposure at a city park, Sharps Ridge Memorial Park, on Thursday May 24, 2012 afternoon.

On Friday, May 25, 2012, Florence Crittendon Agency removed the three foster children from the home and placed them in another foster home. No more foster admissions were being allowed to the Ownby home.

 

WATE says “Ownby, 45, was taken into custody at Sharps Ridge Memorial Park during a police surveillance operation. Police say citizens have complained about illegal activity in the park.

According to court affidavits, officers saw Ownby having oral sex with another man around 4:30 p.m.

Ownby was booked into the detention center and later released on a $500 bond.

John F. McCracken, 53, of Powell, was also arrested after he was allegedly seen having oral sex. He’s charged with indecent exposure and criminal trespass, and later released on a $1,000 bond.

Police say McCracken went onto private property, earning him the trespassing charge, but Ownby did not.

Ownby was scheduled to be in court Friday morning, but it was reset to June 12.

Neither man has a previous criminal history in Knox County, according to the sheriff’s office.

County commissioners had mixed reactions to the news.

“The first thing that goes through my mind is the commissioner, his family members, his children,” said Commissioner R. Larry Smith. “You know, we as commissioners what can we do to rally our support around him, and let him know that we’re thinking about him and his family.”

“Obviously, if these charges are true, and he deserves his day in court, Mr. Ownby needs to resign,” said Commissioner Mike Hammond. “The other aspect is, we have no authority to remove him from office.That will be up to Mr. Ownby to decide what he is to do.”

Ownby is serving his first term as commissioner of the Fourth District.”

Knox News says “Ownby is a married father of two. He has no other arrests. He was elected to represent the West Knoxville district in August 2010.

Ownby is a longtime employee of Comcast. A Comcast vehicle was towed Thursday from the Sharps Ridge scene and taken to the city’s impound lot, according to an employee of Clinton Highway Wrecker Service.”

State: 3 foster children removed from home of Knox Commissioner Jeff Ownby

[Knox News 5/25/12 by Mike Donila and Matt Latkin]

Knox County Commissioner Jeff Ownby arrested for indecent exposure

[WATE 5/25/12]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “Knox County Commissioner Jeff Ownby, arrested last week on an indecent exposure charge, will not resign from his 4th District seat and plans to attend Monday’s board meeting to vote on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, his attorney said Thursday.

In addition, defense attorney Gregory P. Isaacs lambasted the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for telling the News Sentinel and other local media outlets that three foster children were removed from Ownby’s home as a result of the arrest.

“That is false,” he said. “Two foster children had previously been scheduled to return to their biological parents after the completion of the school year and were removed from the Ownby home on the morning of May 24, before his arrest. An 18-year-old remains at the residence. The statement made by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services was false and was made with a reckless disregard for the truth.”

DCS spokeswoman Molly Sudderth, who initially relayed the information to the media, disputed much of Isaacs’ allegations. She said an 18-year-old female was still living at the house, but that two children were removed on the morning of May 25, the day after Ownby’s arrest.

“I can tell you what’s in our system and it says that the placement date (for a new home) is the 25th and the ending date (for the Ownby residence) is the 25th,” she said. “I’ve looked at our case records and the two were removed on the 25th and it was an unplanned removal.”

Sudderth added that DCS officials have contacted Florence Crittenton Agency, the provider that placed the children, to further confirm the information.

When told that DCS was sticking by its story, Isaacs said: “Facts are stubborn things. If the children were removed on Thursday morning, Commissioner Ownby has suffered a tremendous wrong. If DCS is successful in calling Thursday Friday, then they did their job. However, my money is on the Ownbys.”

Jayme Ownby, the commissioner’s wife, also said the children left on Thursday. She declined to comment further other than to say her husband “was doing good” and “he’s a good man.”

The Florence Crittenton Agency did, however, close the Ownby home “as a foster care home for the agency,” according to a letter the organization sent to the family. The decision was due to the arrest and the recent media attention it created, the letter said.

“Criminal charges have been levied, and it is not reasonable to believe that the current situation will not adversely affect the stability of the home,” Dara Hitson, a Florence Crittenton representative, wrote to Ownby and his wife on May 25.

The letter, released to the media by Isaacs, added: “However, should you wish to reapply in the future to be a foster family for the agency, you certainly have the option to do so. Your home is closed in good standing.”

Ownby, 45, a first-term commissioner, and John McCracken, 53, were arrested May 24 after police spotted the two performing oral sex on each other in Sharps Ridge Park in North Knoxville, according to court records. They were in public and did not attempt to hide their actions, the arrest warrant states.

Both were charged with indecent exposure, a misdemeanor. McCracken also was charged with criminal trespass.

The two were part of a Knoxville Police Department sting that was conducted in response to residents’ complaints about illegal activity in the area, although they were the only two arrested that day. Sharps Ridge has a reputation as a place where men go to meet other men.

Ownby has a court date set for June 12. Isaacs said he will plead not guilty.

When asked how his client was holding up, Isaacs said the commissioner “remains with his family and is currently in counseling and looking forward to continuing his service to the constituents of the 4th District.”

He said he has taken a leave of absence from his employer — Comcast — but was not fired.

Ownby, who was released on a $500 bond hours after his arrest, was elected to represent the West Knoxville district in August 2010. A Republican, he has taken mostly a conservative stance to county spending.

He has also voiced support of Knox County Mayor Tim Buchett’s proposed budget, which the commission will vote on Monday. Ownby has said that he doesn’t support a tax increase, something the school system has asked commissioners to consider to pay for their proposal designed to better achievement.

Also Thursday, County Commission Chairman Mike Hammond directed Knox County Law Director Joe Jarret to fax a letter to Isaacs, asking whether Ownby would resign. Hammond said officials wanted to know whether they would have to replace the seat.

Ownby, who did not attend this past Monday’s commission meeting, also sits on the county’s charter review committee, which is currently analyzing and deciding whether to tweak the county’s governing documents. He also doesn’t plan to resign from the committee.

“It’s his choice not to resign,” Hammond said. “He’s innocent until proven guilty, so we need to let the legal process work and see what happens. There is nothing we can do. The decision is up to him.”

Attorney: Ownby has no plans to resign commission seat

[Knox News 6/1/12 by Mike Donila]