A Humboldt man is facing 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney for West Tennessee Michael Dunavant says 25-year-old Taylor Cunningham was sentenced this week in a Jackson federal court to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal prison system.

Cunningham was arrested on June 7th, 2019 after fleeing from drug task force agents who had arranged for a confidential source to buy an ounce of ice meth.

Agents found and seized a loaded handgun found beside Cunningham on the ground, as well as an extra fully-loaded 30 round magazine, a bag containing 21 grams of methamphetamine, and a set of digital scales.

A search of a brown bag Cunningham was carrying revealed another three bags of meth weighing approximately 39.5 grams. Also seized were approximately 407 Xanax pills, 46 Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine pills (approximate total weight of 16.5 grams), one ecstasy pill, two morphine pills, seven unidentifiable pills and $3,301 on Cunningham’s person.

Agents later verified Cunningham had been previously convicted of felony burglary in Humboldt in 2017 and prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.

The Martin Police Department is providing a report on Thursday’s high-speed chase which involved Kentucky and Tennessee authorities.

Assistant Chief Phillip Fuqua says the pursuit was initiated in Kentucky in reference to the driver being wanted in Fulton County, Illinois for Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer.

The chased ended on the Highway 22 entrance ramp near Weakley County Motors with the suspect being airlifted from the scene with self-inflicted wounds.

Fuqua says the Martin Police Department was not involved in the pursuit or any portion of the incident, but did provide traffic assistance and scene security during the investigation.

The crash and other aspects of the incident are being investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Beth VanCleave will continue to serve on the Weakley County Commission after winning the District 7 County Commission race Thursday.

Miss VanCleave, the Republican candidate, received 445 votes to Independent candidate Whitney Stover’s 202 in the only contested race in the Weakley County General Election.

Beth VanCleave was appointed by the Weakley County Commission in January to finish out her late husband, Roger VanCleave’s remaining term.

In an uncontested race, Steven Totty was elected as the District 5 County Commission seat.

David Tuck was unopposed for his re-election as Assessor of Property, and Gath Meeks, Jeff Floyd, Kim Longacre, Doug Sims, and Josh Moore were all unopposed and re-elected to the Weakley County School Board.

Steven Todd was unopposed in his race for District 1 Constable.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a multi-state high-speed chase that ended Thursday afternoon in Martin with a suspect being airlifted from the scene.

Unconfirmed reports say the incident began in Evansville, Indiana with the chase moving through Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The chase moved south from South Fulton to Martin, with the suspect turning around at The Hearth Restaurant on North Lindell Street and heading back north before taking the Highway 22 ramp at Weakley County Motors.

The suspect’s vehicle then collided with patrol vehicles on the ramp with shots fired at the suspect’s vehicle.

There’s no confirmed report on the suspect’s condition at this time, but unconfirmed reports say the suspect was suffering from self-inflicted wounds to his neck and wrists.

South Fulton resident Bo Bieshslich tells Thunderbolt Radio News he was traveling south on Highway 45 between South Fulton and Martin when the pursuit passed him.

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THP Sergeant Jena Eubanks says everything is still under investigation and that more information will be released as soon as possible.

Tennessee’s state veterinarian is advising livestock owners to look out for signs of a disease that has affected horses, cattle, and other animals in Midwest states.

State Veterinarian Samantha Beaty says vesicular stomatitis virus, or VSV, has not yet entered Tennessee, but it has sickened livestock in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

Officials say VSV primarily affects horses and cattle, but it can also sicken sheep, goats, pigs, llamas, and alpacas.

The disease is typically transmitted by biting insects and causes blister-like lesions on the skin. Humans can contract VSV and get a flu-like illness by coming into contact with lesions from infected animals.

A former FBI fugitive is back in Tennessee after escaping from the Turney Center Industrial Prison 36 years ago.

Tennessee Department of Correction spokesperson Tylee Tracer says 77-year-old Lohman Ray Mays, Jr. was recaptured in Wyoming in 1985 and has since been serving a federal sentence for bank robbery.

Mays was returned to Tennessee this week to serve the remainder of his life sentence for a Sullivan County armed robbery.

Tracer says Mays and two other inmates escaped from the Hickman County prison on July 1, 1984. As a fugitive, Mays also robbed a bank in Wyoming and had a lengthy criminal record in five states for murder, armed robbery, and shooting and wounding a police officer.

Donald Gammons

James McPeters

While searching for Mays and the other escapees, TDOC Wardens Donald Gammons and James McPeters were killed in a helicopter crash along with their pilot, Army National Guard Major, Sam Kyle.

In a statement, Correction Commissioner Tony Parker said, “We will never forget the sacrifices of these brave men who gave their lives in the search for dangerous escapees in order to protect their fellow citizens. Their families are in our constant prayers and we will continue our mission to enhance public safety in their honor.”

Former escapee William Prentice is deceased while former escapee Michael Hartsock remains in TDOC custody serving a life sentence for murder.