DICKSON, TN (WSMV) -
There were 80 accused criminals and the idea was to arrest all of them in one swoop; to clean up the streets of Dickson County with a round up.
For the most part, it was a huge success, except for one mix up.
Early Thursday morning officers began searching for a man wanted for selling pills.
They even showed up at the guy's house.
The man got word of the man hunt and turned himself in.
Officers booked him in and the man posted bond, all the while insisting he had done nothing wrong.
"Some time in the morning we were notified that there had possibly been a mistake. That we had possibly arrested a guy that was incorrectly identified," said David Hicks, the director of the 23rd Judicial Drug Task Force.
Turns out it was the right name, but the wrong guy. Since realizing it officers said they're doing everything they can to make it right.
"It was a mistake. It was an honest mistake and the officer that made it is genuinely sorry that it happened. He told me this morning that he'd been having trouble with it all weekend," Hicks said.
The District Attorney dismissed the charges, expunged the man's record, and refunded the bond money, but perhaps most significantly, they're owning up to it and they're offering an apology.
"We take it very seriously when something like this happens. We do and it's really regretful," Hicks said.
The District Attorney's office did not release the man's name because they said they did not want to do any more damage. The man has hired a lawyer.
Officers later arrested the correct suspect.
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