Last Updated on January 17, 2026 10:06 am
(Mountain City, TN) – The Mountain City Police Department, in cooperation with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Watauga County Sheriff's Office, and the United States Marshals Service, successfully located and arrested a wanted fugitive in Mountain City earlier this month.
On Monday, January 5, 2026, Investigator Thomas Brown of the Mountain City Police Department was notified by a North Carolina SBI Agent that a, Dennis Hillary Main, had an active Federal Arrest Warrant.
Investigators were advised that Main had previously been arrested by the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit for Methamphetamine related offenses.
Further information was obtained from Watauga County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit which described the current vehicle being operated by Main. Through additional investigative efforts and intelligence, it was discovered that Main was possibly staying at a residence located on Crowder Road in the Mountain City area.
On January 8th, 2026, Law Enforcement located a vehicle matching the description provided by the Watauga County Sheriff's Office parked at a residence on Rainbow Road in Mountain City, TN.
A Search Warrant was obtained for the residence in efforts to locate Main. While en route to serve the warrant, officers observed Main leaving the area as a passenger in yet another vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop and positively identified Main. He was taken into custody without incident on the Outstanding Federal Warrant.
Main was then transported to the Johnson County Jail, where he was held pending transfer to Federal Authorities.
The Mountain City Police Department would like to thank the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service for their assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
