Watch now: Summer Wells' father talks about his criminal past, convicted sex offender son

ROGERSVILLE — Donald Wells agreed Tuesday to talk to the Times News about his criminal history while the search for his missing 5-year-old daughter continues.As of Tuesday, it had been one week since Summer Wells disappeared from their rural home in the Beech Creek community of Hawkins County.Rescuers have utilized 82 agencies from Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina to cover 4.6 square miles around the home, but Summer's location remains a mystery.Summer's father, Donald Wells, was arrested in October of last year on domestic charges and pleaded guilty in April to a gun charge. His wife and Summer's mother, Candus Wells, also filed an order of protection against Donald Wells claiming she feared for her and her children's safety.Wells also acknowledged Tuesday that his 34-year-old son Donald Wesley Wells is a convicted sex offender, having pleaded guilty in Arkansas in 2007 to sexual indecency with a child.That oldest son was in Utah at the time of Summer's disappearance, Wells said. Wells also said his son's Arkansas offense would have been considered statutory rape in Tennessee because his son was 19 at the time, and the victim was a girlfriend who was 18 months younger.Arrested on domestic related chargesDonald Wells, 56, was arrested at his home on Oct. 14, 2020, and charged with domestic assault, possession of a handgun while intoxicated and unlawful possession of a weapon after he reportedly came home intoxicated and found a male at home with his wife.Candus Wells told Deputy Kyle Shively that her husband assumed she was cheating on him, argued with them and then he pushed her down, causing injury to her knee.Wells was leaving in a pickup as deputies arrived, but he came back while deputies were still there and was arrested.Police said Wells was under the influence of alcohol and found in possession of a .22 caliber handgun in his pickup. He admitted to having a felony conviction in Utah.This past April, Wells pleaded guilty in Hawkins County Sessions Court to possession of a handgun while under the influence. The other two charges were dismissed.He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days on probation, 96 hours of community service and his gun was forfeited to the state.On Oct. 15, 2020, Candus Wells filed an order of protection in Sessions Court against Donald Wells.In the affidavit, Candus Wells stated, "He drinks and throws things. I am afraid of being hurt. He is abusive physically and mentally toward me. I am afraid for my children and myself. My mother fears he is going to hurt her because she is staying in her camper on the property."According to the Hawkins County Criminal Court Clerk's office, the order of protection was subsequently dismissed by Candus Wells on Oct. 19, 2020.Donald Wells told the Times News that before the October arrest he was working in Park City, Utah, and his plan at the time was to sell his home in Hawkins County and move there where he could make more money.He said that he called his wife from his sister's home during a party, and he believes his wife heard a female (his sister) laughing in the background and assumed the worst. Wells said his wife then attempted to make him jealous, and he immediately drove back to Hawkins County from Utah, which resulted in the Oct. 14 confrontation.Wells said that after he and his wife were able to calm down and speak together, they realized there had been some misunderstandings on both sides and they reconciled and agreed they wanted to stay in Tennessee."We discussed all this, and we were both thinking in totally different directions," Donald Wells said. "We were able to figure it all out. That order of protection, it was just a fight between me and her and her friends and her mother. They knew I had the black powder pistol in my glove box, and they used that against me."Eldest son a convicted sex offender in UtahWells said the charge his 34-year-old son was convicted of sounds a lot worse than the actual crime, which would be statutory rape in Tennessee.The son pleaded guilty in February 2007 to sexual indecency with a child and was released from the Arkansas Department of Corrections in May 2010."There was only 18 months difference," Donald Wells said. "He's a good kid."Wells noted that his son was in Utah at the time of Summer's disappearance, and there's no connection between him and Summer's disappearance."No way would he think of something like this," Wells said. "When I first told him he bawled like a little baby. My sisters all cried."Not forthcoming about his record in UtahWhen asked if he would be willing to discuss his criminal past in Utah, Wells declined."I really don't want to talk about all that stuff," he said. "Utah is a whole different ballgame than Tennessee. That's the Mormon state. I call it the moron state. That's just how I feel."According to the Utah Department of Corrections Donald Wells was incarcerated in Utah for the following offenses: third degree felonies for theft, burglary and forgery; a second degree felony for theft by receiving stolen property; and a misdemeanor for revocation/suspension.The Utah DOC said he's been in and out of prison since 1995. He was discharged from prison and supervision in April 2003. When asked what the convictions were for, Donald Wells said, "I've had several charges over the years. I used to have ... I don't know if I should elaborate on any of that. It's nothing really good. I wasn't really a Christian when I was younger. I found God in prison. I started studying the Bible intently because I wanted to change. That's when I got to know God and tried hard to be a Christian. Of course, I've backslid multiple times, but I'll never let it happen again.""an aggressive approach"Although there was no press conference on Tuesday from the Beech Creek search location, Church Hill Rescue Squad Capt. Tim Coup reported that as of Tuesday rescuers searching for Summer Wells have utilized 82 agencies from multiple states. Coup said numerous specialized search and rescue groups and numerous K-9 teams have been represented from these agencies.Since last Tuesday, rescuers have covered 4.6 square miles encompass- ing 3,000 acres of mostly rugged mountainous terrain that was made even more dangerous overnight by thunderstorms."This has slowed the search operations this morning and throughout the day," Coup said. "While encountering these conditions, we are still searching with an aggressive approach with extreme attention to detail. Search efforts will continue on a more specialized team basis. … Rest assured that we have not quit and won't quit until we find Summer Wells."Coup added, "We will continue to work with Hawkins County Sheriff's Office, TBI, and FBI until we find Summer Wells. As mentioned before where we need the general public and people that live in the Beech Creek Community to please continue search- ing your property and fixed structures on your property where she could be hiding."reward offeredCoup confirmed for the Times News that the Church Hill Rescue Squad will be managing any rewards that are offered for information that leads to Summer's return.On Monday, the Times News received a letter in the mail from David P. Garrahan of Kingsport that contained a check for $25,000."I remain convinced that somebody knows something regarding the disappearance of 5-year-old Summer Wells," he stated in his letter. "Accordingly, I have enclosed a personal check in the amount of $25,000 to be given to the person who provides a tip/information which leads to the discovery/recovery of Summer Wells."Coup said the CHRS will release more information about the reward as it becomes available.Anyone who has information is asked to call the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office at (423) 272-7121 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.