Pair arrested on separate drug, child, animal neglect charges

KINGSPORT — An Elizabethton man, Matthew Brown, faces multiple drug charges, while Sullivan County woman Thea Chyanne Sorrell faces child abuse or neglect and animal abuse charges. The two were arrested and charged Sunday in Sullivan County following an initial investigation into reported child neglect. The arrests and charges grew out of a welfare check because children were left home alone for more than a day in the Bancroft Chapel Road area just north of U.S. Highway 11W. Authorities began investigating just before 9 a.m. Sunday. According to a news release from Sullivan County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Andrew McClung, Sullivan County deputies responded to the 500 block of Bancroft Chapel Road just east of Kingsport in reference to four children being home alone. "Once on scene, deputies spoke with the children. They learned the children's mother had not been home since Friday and had not spoken with the children since then either. Deputies also observed unsanitary and unsafe conditions inside the home. A dog was found without adequate access to food or water. The Department of Children's Services and Sullivan County Animal Control responded to assist," according to the Monday morning release. "Later, the children's mother, 33-year-old Thea Chyanne Sorrell of Kingsport, arrived at the residence as a passenger in a truck and was taken into custody," according to the release. She was charged with three felony charges of child abuse or neglect for a child 8 or younger, as well as two misdemeanors, cruelty to animals and child endangerment. Sorrell was booked into the Sullivan County Jail, where she remain as of press time on a $50,000 bond. At the time Sorrell was taken into custody, deputies observed the man driving the truck and were able to identify him as 37-year-old Matthew Brown of Elizabethton. Deputies learned he had two active warrants in the county for violation of probation and failure to appear in court. Deputies also learned he had a suspended driver's license. Deputies took Brown into custody and located what appeared to be methamphetamine in his pocket. A search of Brown's vehicle found a small clear baggie containing a brown, powdery substance believed to be heroin, four fully loaded firearms and multiple baggies containing a substance believed to be methamphetamine and totaling 306 grams. One of the firearms was reported stolen from the City of Kingsport. Deputies also found pills in different containers and bags that were not in their original container, believed to be a legend drug or a prescription drug requiring a prescription, for a total of 18.5 pills, as well as a pipe with residue commonly used with methamphetamine. Additional items found included a bag containing what is believed to be marijuana, totaling 18.5 grams; mushrooms believed to be psychedelics; more empty baggies; a variety of knives; firearm ammunition on a clip; an axe; brass knuckles; and almost $5,000. Brown also gave consent for deputies to search his home, where two more firearms were found. Brown was charged with the following felonies: maintaining a dwelling where drugs are sold, manufacture, delivery, sale or possession of methamphetamine, the same of a Schedule I controlled substance, the same of a Schedule II controlled substance and the same of a Schedule VI controlled substance. He also was charged with four counts of possession of a firearm during commission of dangerous felony, as well as one charge of having prohibited weapons and seven charges of unlawful carrying or possession of a weapon. Also, Brown was charged with the follow misdemeanors: two violations of probation as well as one each, failure to appear, driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked, having drug paraphernalia, possession of a legend drug without prescription, possession of stolen property and unlawful removal and/or use of registration decal or license plate. Brown was booked into the Sullivan County Jail, where he remains on a $100,000 bond as of press time.