Ex-deputy arrested on drug charge

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff

A former Blount County Sheriff’s Department corporal, who was supervisor of the Blount County K-9 Unit, was arrested on a charge of obtaining drugs by fraud on Tuesday.

Angela Beth Thompson, 34, Dixon Road, Maryville, was arrested by the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force at 8:40 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of obtaining drugs by fraud.

Blount County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Marian O’Briant confirmed the arrest and said Thompson was a deputy at the sheriff’s office for many years.

Thompson was named Officer of the Year in 2002 and received a law enforcement award in 2006 from the Red Cross.

Thompson was the handler of K-9 Zeny, a female Belgian Malinois that is trained to detect explosives.

O’Briant said Thompson had resigned from the sheriff’s office on Nov. 6 and cited “personal reasons” in her letter of resignation.

The investigation by the drug task force is ongoing, and O’Briant said she could not release any details on the case at this time.

Thompson was free from the Blount County Jail at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday on a $1,000 bond pending a 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21 hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.