The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested Jesse Elbert Rogers, 60, on charges of bribery of a witness and solicitation to compound a felony.
Rogers is employed by and owns Universal Technologies, Inc., at 165 Alsonia Street in Estill Springs, Tn. He is charged with paying over $5,000 to a complainant on an unrelated criminal case in Franklin County. The payment was part of an agreement to have the complainant drop the charges against one of Rogers' employees, Anthony Lee Carrick.
Carrick is currently under indictment in Franklin County for both aggravated burglary and sexual battery and is out on a $3,500 bond.
Rogers was arrested while at his home, which is located on Alsonia Street behind his business. He was booked in the Franklin County Jail. His bond has been set at $7,500 and his arraignment date in the Franklin County Circuit Court is May 18.
The TBI is investigating the case at the request of Franklin County District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor.