Woman Falsely Arrested After Mix-Up

HARTSVILLE, Tenn. -- Authorities in Trousdale County conducted dozens of arrests of drug suspects last week.

Video: Hartsville Woman Falsely Accused Of Drug Trafficking

But during the roundup, a Trousdale County woman was mistakenly identified and hauled to jail for a crime she didn't commit.

Resident Sherrie Johnson was confused when an officer knocked on her door Thursday morning.

"(The officer) said, ‘You need to come with me,’ and I said, ‘What's wrong?’ and he said, ‘I have a warrant for your arrest.’ I said, 'For what?’ and he said, 'Drug trafficking.' "

Johnson said she repeatedly told the officer that he had the wrong person.

The officer then called back to the police department and confirmed Johnson's Social Security Number matched that of the person authorities were looking for.

"'Yes it's you,' he says. He had all of my information, my Social Security Number, my address, my information," said Johnson.

It was only after she was brought to the Trousdale County Jail, and was in the process of being booked, that officers finally realized the person they wanted did not have the same birth date as the person they took into custody.

It turns out the Johnson that was wanted by police has a different birth date than the Sherrie Johnson that was taken into custody.

"An error had occurred, and it appears to be in the record keeping system of the department," said Deputy Chief Wayland Cothron of the Trousdale County Sheriff’s Department.

Johnson has now filed a formal complaint against the department for being falsely arrested.

"You would at least think they would be sorry. Before you come into someone's house and arrest them, you need to have all of your I's dotted and all of your T's crossed," she said.

Johnson's complaint has been forwarded to the Trousdale County sheriff.

Cothron said the error is under investigation.