A Catoosa County man who authorities say threatened to kill police if they tried to arrest him is in custody facing federal charges.
Wesley Gage Weldon is charged with meth distribution.
Authorities said he shot one man in the leg with an assault rifle because he believed he had stolen a large quantity of meth from him.
They said he had another man stripped naked, pistol whipped and beaten severely for allegedly stealing money or meth from him.
In November 2015, the TBI initiated an ice methamphetamine investigation targeting Leslie Byerley-Strickland, who was reportedly capable of supplying ounce quantities of ice methamphetamine.
On Jan. 8, 2016, a TBI special agent acting in an undercover capacity began negotiating with Ms. Byerley-Strickland to purchase three pounds of ice meth. During the negotiations, she said the price of the ice meth was $10,000 per pound.
Agents said negotiations continued and on Jan. 11, 2016, the agent arranged a controlled purchase of an ounce of ice meth from Ms. Byerley-Strickland. She agreed to meet the agent at the Walmart in Brainerd.
She showed up in a red Ford F- 250 pickup truck with "Gage" in the vehicle. He was identified as Wesley Gage Weldon.
Authorities said the agent was not able to learn their source of supply or arrange a large purchase of meth, but he did buy a smaller quantity for $500.
Agents found that the pickup truck was registered to Thomas D. Weldon, 3032 Three Notch Road, Ringgold.
Agents followed the pickup truck to Dalton, where it was going to pick up more drugs, but backed off before finding the exact location of the pickup.
Weldon was arrested on Aug. 12, 2016, in Catoosa County for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after shooting the individual with the assault rifle.
Catoosa County detectives executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of a small quantity of methamphetamine, morphine, and LSD.
Weldon was on bond in the shooting case when on Jan. 13 there was a possible kidnapping and aggravated assault in Catoosa County.
Authorities said, "Further investigation obtained by the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office revealed that the victim, who had been badly beaten and pistol whipped after being stripped naked and restrained with electrical tape, had been at Weldon's residence at 1179 Potts Road, Ringgold, with Weldon and three other suspects prior to the incident.
"Catoosa County Sheriff's Office detectives learned that while at the residence, Weldon believed that the victim had stolen meth and/or money from him. Weldon is believed to have directed the three other suspects to take the victim to another location and beat the victim in an effort to determine who had stolen the drugs. The victim was subsequently taken from Weldon's residence to property approximately 150 yards away, on Potts Road, where the assault occurred."
This property is owned by several partners, including Thomas Weldon, who is Weldon's father, it was stated.
Last Monday, Catoosa County Sheriff's Office detectives obtained arrest warrants for Wesley Gage Weldon for criminal attempt murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and aggravated assault with bodily injury.
Authorities said Weldon, through his attorney, had agreed to tum himself in. Hhowever, on Wednesday, he called Alan Norton, assistant district attorney at the Catoosa County District Attorney's Office and told him that that he would not tum himself in and that they (law enforcement) would have to go find him.
That same day, Weldon also called the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office and left a message stating that "if law enforcement tried to arrest him for something that he felt like he did not do, he would fight."
Weldon then stated that they (law enforcement) would have to kill him and that he did not want to "kill anyone else."
Catoosa County Sheriff's Office deputies then responded to Weldon's residence in an attempt to apprehend him. Deputies arrived and observed a person fleeing on a motorcycle, but were not able to identify that person as Weldon.
Deputies also encountered a message that was spray painted on an exterior outbuilding next to Weldon's residence which read "F--- you DTF U Don't have to look 4 me I'm coming 4 you."
On Thursday, Catoosa County Sheriff's Office detectives learned that Weldon had stolen three firearms and an undetermined amount of cash from his father's residence, it was stated.
The United States Marshals Service, with assistance from other local law enforcement agencies, subsequently located Weldon in Rossville. He attempted to flee in a vehicle and was subsequently arrested.