Lenoir City Residents Arrested on Federal Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 06, 2014 |
KNOXVILLE—Joshua Hayworth, 23, and Timothy E. Chudley, 35, both of Lenoir City, Tennessee, were charged on February 5, 2014, with federal Hobbs Act violations for their roles in the January 30, 2014 robbery of a Lenoir City Burger King restaurant.
Chudley was arrested in Knoxville on February 5, 2014, without incident and appeared in federal court the same day. Hayworth was arrested on state charges on February 3, 2014, following a series of events which also resulted in federal carjacking charges against Hayworth. He will appear in federal court at a later date.
The criminal complaint on file with the U.S. District Court charges both men with federal Hobbs Act violations, while Hayworth is also charged with carjacking. The complaint alleges that Hayworth, with the assistance of Chudley, planned the robbery of the Lenoir City Burger King, which was carried out on January 30, 2014. According to the complaint, on February 3, 2014, Hayworth was observed driving a stolen vehicle in Knoxville, which Hayworth abandoned in a trailer park on Bob Gray Road, as law enforcement pursued.
Later the same day, Hayworth is accused of carjacking another vehicle from a pregnant female on Doubletree Lane in Knoxville, which he wrecked on Bob Gray Road. After fleeing on foot, it is alleged that Hayworth broke into a residence, where he was apprehended by law enforcement. Follow-up investigation by the multiple agencies involved uncovered Chudley’s role in the robbery scheme.
The arrests are the result of joint efforts by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), composed of the FBI, Knoxville Police Department (KPD), and Knox County Sheriff’s Department (KCSO); the Lenoir City Police Department; KPD; KCSO; Loudon County Sheriff’s Office; and the Clinton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Norris will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.