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Man charged with having illegal weapons was already under investigation

Washington County, Tennessee District Attorney Tony Clark said the letters contained scriptures and references to payback and were concerning enough that his office contacted the TBI.
The cache of weapons found on Scott Edmisten when he was pulled over for speeding. 

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. - A Johnson City man who is charged with owning a cache of illegal weapons was already under investigation for sending retaliatory letters to judges.

Washington County, Tennessee District Attorney Tony Clark said the letters contained scriptures and references to payback and were concerning enough that his office contacted the TBI.

According to a police report, 43-year-old Scott Alan Edmisten began talking about the department of children's services after his arrest and said they would get the justice that was coming. The report also said he threatened the arresting officer.

Edmisten was living with his mother. Investigators found weapons in her house, along with wiring and devices that were meant to look like explosives.

Washington County, Tennessee Sheriff Ed Graybeal said the suspect was using them to keep people away from the guns.

“When the bomb squad finally got in there, there was nothing to any of it,” Graybeal said. “That cabinet that he had wired up like that is where we found the extra gun parts and a lot of ammunition and other stuff.”

Graybeal also said that Edmisten's mother had no knowledge of what her son was doing.

Edmisten was arrested early Monday morning for driving on a suspended license. Officers found several firearms in his car when they inventoried it for towing, including automatic rifles with no serial numbers.

Edmisten is due in court on October 11.

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