WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The case against eight men accused of looting in Washington County, Tennessee in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene has been dismissed.
On Monday, the eight men who had previously been arrested and charged with either aggravated burglary or burglary appeared in court.
All eight men were arrested on Sept. 28 in the Corby Bridge Road area, where floodwaters from Helene had caused significant damage.
Affidavits from deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) stated they responded to the area after a 911 caller claimed a group of “Hispanic males,” as described in some of the affidavits, was breaking into flood-damaged homes.
The eight men were arrested after deputies reported they were in possession of belongings from homes.
The accused men were previously identified by the WCSO as:
- Kevin Noe Martinez-Lopez
- Albin Nahun Vega-Rapalo
- David Bairon Rapalo-Rapalo
- Marvin Hernandez-Martinez
- Dayln Gabriel Guillen Guillen
- Jesus Leodan Garcia-Peneda
- Josue Berardo Ortis-Valdez
- Ersy Leonel Ortis-Valde
Five witnesses were called to the stand Monday, one of whom said she had gone to a friend’s home that had been washed away into the nearby area. That witness said when she came back to the house for the second time she felt as if things had been moved around, and three of the men arrested were seen leaving the home.
The other witnesses included responding deputies and property owners tied to the case.
The court found on Monday there was no proof that anything had been taken specifically from the home.
The employer of the men and owner of the property, Javier Torres, previously testified that he was out of town when the floods hit the area. He told the court at an Oct. 1 bail hearing that he had called and asked the men to go check the property they were accused of burglarizing.
“Mr. Torres testified that the Defendants were not burglarizing the property, but instead, doing what he asked them to do as their employer,” an order from the bail hearing states.
A judge ruled on Monday there was no proof items in the men’s possession had been in the house they were accused of burglarizing and that they were not trespassing since they had Torres’ permission to be on the property.
“I’m so glad that the truth got out, it made a lot of news, saying they were illegals,” said Torres. “I’m so glad that everything’s got out on the table and we were able to express the truth and they’re here, and we got the verdict that we needed.”
The case was ultimately dismissed and the charges were dropped against all eight men.
Each of the men had previously been released after their bonds were reduced.
