Rockwood Man Charged in Drug-Related Death of Girlfriend

Brad Jones January 16, 2024 Featured, News Leave a comment 998 Views

January 16, 2024

CUMBERLAND COUNTY – A joint investigation by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the indictment of a Roane County man, in connection to the drug-related death of a Rockwood woman.

In January 2022, TBI drug agents joined deputies in investigating the death of Ashley Nichole Cressel (DOB 10/29/1991), who was found unresponsive at her workplace in Cumberland County in August 2021. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. It was later determined she died from acute methamphetamine toxicity. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that identified the victim’s then-boyfriend Michael Kerley as the individual who provided her the drugs.

On January 8th, the Cumberland County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Michael Paul Kerley (DOB 10/18/1988) with one count of Second Degree Murder and one count of Manufacture, Sale, Delivery of Schedule II Narcotics. Kerley was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Cumberland County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

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About Brad Jones

BBB Communications Owner/Operator Brad Jones has been part of the company since August 1996. A graduate of Coalfield High School in 1987, Brad later earned his degree from the University of Tennessee College of Communications in 1995, where he was honored with the 1995 Broadcast Production Student of the Year Award. Brad began his broadcasting career while still attending college, working at Shop at Home, Inc. from 1993 to 1995. He later worked at Via TV (RSTV, Inc.) from 1995 to 1996 before doing freelance production work in Nashville. In August 1996, he joined the staff at BBB Communications, where he has remained ever since. In 2001, Brad also spent a short time working as a news photographer for WVLT-TV while continuing his role at BBB TV. In addition to his work in local broadcasting, Brad also works part-time at Jewelry Television and works with Packman Productions on “Rivalry Thursday” during football season. Brad is married to Nicole Jenkins Jones, a 1990 graduate of Oak Ridge High School. Nicole works at Oak Ridge Gastroenterology Associates. Together they have three children: Trevor Bogard, Chandler Jones, and Naomi Jones, along with three grandchildren: Carter Bogard, Lucas Hayward, and Adalynn Reece Bogard.

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