Here is a complete, detailed timeline of the case and dad's record:
1. 5-25-84 - (Age 13) Dad is arrested for one count of something that is sealed.
2. 6-27-84 - Dad is arrested for two counts of something that is sealed.
3. Dad pleads guilty to the 5-25-84 charge and the June charges are dropped. He is sentenced to 6 months probation at home.
4. 9-8-86 - (Age 15) Dad is arrested, pleads guilty and is sent to jail for 14 months. He is released just after turning 17.
5. 5-16-88 - (Age 17) - Dad is arrested again 4 months after being released from detention. He is charged with three counts of burglary. He pled guilty to one of the counts in exchange for having the other two dropped, and was sentenced to 1-2 years in prison. He is released from his second stint in prison at the age of 18, after spending 10 months in jail for burglary.
6. 7-89 through 1-90 - (Ages 18-19)- Dad is on probation.
7. 6-25-90 to 6-27-90- (Age 19) Dad goes on a 2 day robbery spree, robbing four convenience stores and two innocent, random individual targets. He was convicted of three of the robberies. He spends 6 years in prison. [
At 2348 26 June 90 Ms. Brown [manager of the store] observed suspects 1 [John McCaul] and 2 [John’s buddy] heading for the front door of the store about to enter. Suspect 1 (taller stick-up man) had a shotgun protruding from a grey colored “suit”-type jacket or coat. Ms. Brown attempted to hold doors closed to prevent entry, but was unsuccessful. Suspect 1 [John McCaul] pushed Ms. Brown to the end of the counter, telling Suspect 2 “get the money [illegible]”-and ordering Ms. Nickie [store clerk] to “hit the floor”. … After retrieving the below items from the cash register both suspects started for the door. Suspect #1 [John McCaul]-as an after thought grabbed two cartons of Marlboro Reds prior to exit; fleeing on foot …http://houseofveritas.weebly.com/blog/johns-shotgun-in-the-dark]
8. 7-28-97 - (Age 26) Dad is released from prison.
9. 8-97 - Dad meets Jeff Hoover, two weeks after Dad is released from prison. Hoover tells dad he had to “whack a couple of people” a month before. Indeed, Hoover murdered two people in a drug deal gone wrong. Dad says nothing to LE about this information and continues to hang out with Hoover. He does not warn his brother and his brother’s family, with whom he is living, that Hoover is dangerous. Hoover borrowed and used Dad’s brother’s gun for the murders, however, so the brother probably wouldn’t have been too alarmed by the info.
10. In 2001 (Age 30) John was arrested for 3rd degree assault (a misdemeanor), then again the next week for “assault by mutual consent.” He appears to have been setting up fight clubs.
11. 1997-2006 - (Ages 26-35) the Dad makes statements indicating he was involved in drug trafficking and drug running with the Hell’s Angels during this time period. But, as he states when asked directly about what crimes he committed during this time period, “The only thing I was charged for was gun crimes”.
12. 2004-2005 - Dad is part owner of a strip club which was shut down after raids found it employed underage girls (one of whom was later found murdered), and seven pounds of marijuana, a gun and various distribution paraphernalia at the club.
13. 6-04 - Dad is cited for speeding but fails to appear on his ticket.
14. 7-04 - The child, “S”, is born.
15. 4-05 - The mother requests and receives a restraining order against Dad.
16. 2005 - The child’s mother gives up her parental rights and Dad is awarded custody of the child.
17. 2005 - Dad hires a caregiver to care for the child.
18. 7-05 - The caregiver takes the child to TN with Dad’s permission.
19. 9-27-05 - The caregivers alert LE to having child and adsk what to do. Later that same month, Dad sends two friends to try to get her back. LE and DCS is called. The men are prevented from taking the child.
20. 10-5-05 - DCS is granted custody of the child. Dad does not attend the hearing. The adoptive parents begin providing care for the child 5-6 days per week.
21. 10-05 - in mid-October 2005, Dad is arrested for firearms possession. He posts bond.
22. 12-5-05 - Dad receives a firearm in violation of the law prohibiting felons from owning firearms. He is released on $10,000 bond.
23. 12-13-05 - While out on bail–Dad was cited for not having valid license plates on his car. He failed to pay the fine or appear, and had a bench warrant issued for his arrest.
24. 12-05 - Two weeks later Dad is pulled over again - this time cited for driving without his license and having no valid registration. As part of his sentence his driver’s license was suspended.
25. 1-11-06 - Dad is cited again for driving without his license and having no registration, but now also for driving with a suspended license. He does not show up to court - again - and so once more a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
26. 1-24-06 - Dad was pulled over and cited for not having proper registration on his car. His license was further suspended. He spends two weeks in jail for failing to appear on his traffic ticket warrants.
27. 1-27-06 - One of the buddies that tried to get the child back from TN is granted a restraining order against Dad for harassment.
28. 2-28-06 - Dad is pulled over for speeding. In his car is found a gun and meth and drug paraphernalia.
29. 2-28-06 - Dad receives a firearm in violation of the law prohibiting felons from owning firearms.
30. 3-06 - Dad is pulled over for having improper lights and driving with a suspended license. He fails to appear again and is arrested again on a bench warrant. He spent two days in jail.
31. 4-3-06 - The child is placed in the adoptive parents’ home as foster parents.
32. 4-20-06 - Dad is pulled over for failure to stop and driving with a suspended license. He again fails to appear and a bench warrant is issued for his arrest.
33. 4-20-06 - Dad is indicted for receiving firearms in violation of the law prohibiting felons from owning firearms.
34. 7-3-06 - the adoptive parents petition the court to terminate the parents’ parental rights and adopt the child.
35. 8-06 - the paternal grandmother’s home is approved as a placement for the minor.
36. 10-4-06 - At hearing, the court in TN issues a finding that the child was dependent and neglected and continuing DCS’s legal custody of the child.
37. 10-5-06 - the paternal grandmother files a motion to intervene and seeks custody of the child.
38. Fall 2006 - (Age 35) Dad pleads guilty to weapons charges and is sentenced to 15 years.
39. 3-13-07 - Mom’s parental rights are terminated in TN.
40. 1-07 - Dad’s sentence is reduced to 7.5 years after he turns state’s evidence in the Hoover murder.
41. 6-13-08 - Dad is deposed by phone in connection with the request to terminate his parental rights.
42. 7-6-08 - Dad’s parental rights are terminated. He appeals.
43. 10-9-09 - the adoption is overturned.
44. 10-26-12 - (Age 41) Dad is released from prison with strict parole conditions.
45. 1-29-14 - The child is taken by DCS and given to Dad who she had not seen since she was an infant.
http://tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2009/sjm_112309.pdf
http://bringsonyahome.com/sonya-hodgin-story/
http://houseofveritas.weebly.com/blog/category/john-mccaul
Here is the criminal and dependency court record for Dad’s parents (including the child’s grandma who was rejected as a placement by TN DCS and who has her own background with social services and the dad’s father who was accused of raping and molesting his own, six year old granddaughter) and his brothers. This is the child’s new family she is supposedly so happy reuniting with:
http://houseofveritas.weebly.com/blog/the-family-that-felonies-together-stays-together
http://houseofveritas.weebly.com/blog/not-so-stranger-danger
