A call of a suspicious person in a south LaFollette neighborhood leads to a search and arrest

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- In only about nine minutes, LaFollette Police Officers found the suspicious person they were looking trying to locate.

On Friday, July 11, around 9:30pm, LPD Officer Tavian McCullah and Sergeant Anthony Mahar went to 701 Claiborne Road for a suspicious person call. After searching the area, the pair of law enforcement officers found Franklin Lee Cantrell down by the creek. Mahar noticed Cantrell had thrown something down into the bushes. After checking the ground, a small bag containing a green leafy substance was found.

Cantrell allegedly admitted it was his. As Cantrell was walking up the hill, the sergeant noticed a plastic bag on the ground where Cantrell had been standing that had been concealed by his foot, according to a report from the LaFollette Police Department. Inside the bag was a large amount of white crystal substance. While Mahar was speaking with Cantrell, he noticed that he was moving in an uncontrolled manner and was sweating profusely.

Cantrell, 47, 127 Garden Lane, LaFollette was charged with public intoxication, schedule II possession felony, and schedule IV possession. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-07/21/2025-6AM)

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