Recent arrests made by Mt. Juliet Police continue to show a trend of the majority of suspects booked into the Wilson County Jail being from outside of the city, and in several cases, outside of the county.
At points throughout the year, MJPD publishes statistics of crime rates and compare them to previous years. According to MJPD, the first half of 2026 only saw six vehicle burglaries reported and anticipate a total of 12 by the end of the year. This is a 91% decrease from 2008, which saw 130 vehicle burglaries.
“That progress is even more meaningful when we consider that Mt. Juliet’s population was roughly half its current size in 2008. Our community has grown tremendously, yet fewer families are becoming victims of crime,” MJPD said in a press release. “More people now call Mt. Juliet home, but stronger protection, proactive enforcement, advanced investigative resources, and a community-wide commitment to safety are helping preserve the peace and quality of life that make our city so special. “
Officials compared year-to-date data from the past two years, saying theft-related crime as a whole declined by nearly 50%. By this time in 2024, there were 206 thefts reported, 135 for 2025 and now 109 for this year.
“These numbers represent much more than statistics. They represent families who were not victimized, vehicles that were not broken into, businesses that did not suffer losses, and community members who can feel safer in their homes, neighborhoods, and places of work,” MJPD said.
The second half of July was busy for the department, which credits “proactive policing” and license plate reader technology for the arrest of suspects accused of theft and some with outstanding warrants outside of MJPD’s jurisdiction.
Sunday evening, July 26, officers were investigating what was described as “suspicious activity” in the Paddocks shopping center. At one point, officers discovered two individuals allegedly in possession of drugs and multiple stolen IDs and credit cards during vehicle burglaries in Nashville over the past year.
Jacquelene Smith, 29, and Reno Reyna, 29, both from Nashville, were arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail. Smith was charged with criminal conspiracy (felony), criminal conspiracy (misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Reyna received the same drug charges as well as providing a false ID, theft, identity theft and fraudulent theft with a credit card.
On Saturday, July 25, police conducted a traffic stop for speeding on Lebanon Road and discovered the driver, Amber Lamb, 34, of Madison, had a nationwide extradition warrant since December 2025. According to police, Lamb initially gave a false identity during the traffic stop, but officers were able to confirm her actual identity and discover a warrant out of Rutherford County for failure to appear. Additionally, she was also allegedly in possession of heroin, drug paraphernalia and property stolen from a vehicle in Nashville.
“Every traffic stop has the potential to uncover far more than the initial violation. We are grateful for the vigilance and commitment of our officers, who work every day to protect everyone who lives, works, visits, and travels through our wonderful city,” MJPD said. “In the first six months of 2026, 342 wanted persons were apprehended by our officers. 88% of them did not live in the city limits.”
An earlier traffic stop on Friday, July 24, was conducted on a known wanted individual, Jessica Wirtz, 49, of Mt. Juliet. Police said during the traffic stop Wirtz was allegedly in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. She was booked into the Wilson County Jail for probation violation.
The passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Clarksville, was allegedly also in possession of methamphetamine, unlawfully possessed prescription medication, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. MJPD did not immediately release her name.
Also on Friday, a traffic stop was conducted on Mt. Juliet Road near Cross Drive for a seatbelt violation, which led to the discovery of a firearm reported stolen out of Nashville in September 2025. The 27-year-old individual was arrested, but MJPD did not immediately release the individual’s name.
A 23-year-old Smyrna man, Jonathan Rivera, wanted out of Rutherford County for probation violation, felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence was arrested after a traffic stop on July 19.
Additionally, a 54-year-old Hermitage woman, Lori Byrd, was charged with multiple counts of theft and possession of drugs and a tool used in the aid of shoplifting was arrested on July 18.