Stanton's plan to run goes to the dogs

A McMinnville man with a felony record was found hiding under a tarp Thursday after police say he ran from a detective, setting off a search that also led officers to a stolen handgun.

Christopher Kaylon Stanton, 22, was taken into custody Oct. 1 in the Lonsvale Drive area and charged with evading arrest, theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to a press release issued by McMinnville Police Chief Nichole Mosley, an MPD detective spotted Stanton in the area and knew he had outstanding warrants for his arrest.

When the detective attempted to make contact with Stanton, police say he fled on foot.

Responding officers saturated the area and deployed MPD K9 Kane to track Stanton. During the search, officers located a stolen 9mm handgun behind a nearby residence.

Stanton was found a short time later hiding beneath a tarp at another residence and was taken into custody.

In addition to the new charges, Stanton had outstanding warrants for failure to appear and violation of probation, according to MPD. Police also said Stanton was wanted for questioning in connection with a recent shooting in Grundy County.

MPD did not identify Stanton as a suspect in the Grundy County shooting or provide additional information about that investigation.

Stanton is being held under $95,000 bond.

Thursday's arrest adds to a criminal history that includes a reckless homicide conviction stemming from the 2023 stabbing death of 24-year-old Dakota Whipple.

Stanton was originally charged with criminal homicide following the July 5, 2023 confrontation at a Hardaway Street property. The case ended June 5, 2024, when Stanton pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of reckless homicide as part of an agreement that resolved several pending cases.

Stanton received a mandatory two-year Tennessee Department of Correction sentence to be served at 100 percent on the reckless homicide conviction. As part of the same agreement, he entered no-contest pleas to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon from a separate 2022 case and received four years of supervised probation on each count.

The probation sentences were ordered to run consecutively, giving Stanton an effective sentence of two years in TDOC custody followed by eight years of supervised probation.

Mosley thanked responding officers and K9 Kane for their assistance in locating and apprehending Stanton.