Sixty-one indictments were handed down by a Hopkins County Grand Jury Tuesday afternoon, February 22, 2017. Most of the indictments were related to drug charges or charges associated with drugs. A few were not.
Nelson Mitchell Privette
Nelson Mitchell Privette, 20, was indicted on two counts Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon. A driver weaving in and out of traffic on State Highway 11E Wednesday night stopped his antics near the Highway 11E/FM 3019 intersection when his vehicle hit another head-on. The accident resulted in a man and wife being flown to an area hospital with fractured bones and other injuries, one vehicle on fire, and Privette being arrested for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He admitted to the DPS Trooper that he was driving erratically.
Steven Dwayne Johnson, 50, was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The child was under six years of age.
Robert Alan Hawkins, 51, was indicted for Obstruction or Retaliation. Threats against a member of the judicial system in Hopkins County landed Hawkins, of Dallas, in Hopkins County Jail charged with Obstruction or Retaliation. When threats were made the local judge contacted Lewis Tatum, Hopkins County Sheriff. Tatum called on the Texas Rangers and the U S Marshalls to locate Hawkins. He was found by the Rangers and Marshalls working on a construction site in Plano, where he was a carpenter’s helper.
Manuel Betello-Zapeda was indicted for Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or more.
Jamie Kay Sartin Sobert, 48, was indicted for Theft of Property more than $2500 but less than $30,000 as was Jeffery Wayne Horton, 54. Tatum reported the recovery of 10 stolen saddles. The saddles were stolen in Hopkins County, the City of Sulphur Springs, Yantis, Cooksville, and near Buffalo, Texas. Based on previous experience with stolen saddles in the area, Tatum along with Bo Fox with the Sulphur Springs Police Department, and Tony Hurley, Special Ranger with the Southwest Cattlemen’s Association, began their search for a suspect that now lives in the Lubbock area. Monday, the woman and a male companion were stopped in that area. In their possession at that time were the 10 stolen saddles. Jamie Shobert and Jeffrey Wayne Horton of Mineola were arrested and warrants have been issued locally. At the time of their arrest, the pair was attempting to sell the saddles. The saddles were stolen from residences and some were stolen at a cutting-horse show at the Equine Center at the Civic Center. The saddles have been returned to the owner.
Jeffery Wayne Horton, 54, was indicted for Theft of Property more than $2500 but less than $30,000. He partnered with Sobert.
L. C. Outlaw, Jr was indicted for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. A traffic stop on I-30 by Cumby Police for following too close led to the arrest of a husband and wife from Phoenix, Arizona. Following the stop, the Cumby officer utilized his K-9 officer around the vehicle and found a small amount of marijuana in the passenger floor board. A gun was located in the glove box. L C Outlaw, Jr, identified as a felon, was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a felon. His wife was charged with possession of marijuana under 2 oz.
Justin Pendergraft, 33, was indicted for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Pendergraft, Sumner, Texas was speeding on South Loop 301 when DPS Trooper King made the traffic stop. King noted that Pendergraft was noticeably shaking even though the temperature was 68. Trooper King also noted a knife just above Pendergraft’s head in the auto. Pendergraft was invited to step out of the auto and asked if he had anything illegal in the vehicle. With his head down, he replied, “Yes.” Trooper King found a black pistol between the driver’s seat and console, which he considered within easy grasp of Pendergraft, when in the vehicle, and in the passenger’s seat, he found methamphetamine. It was also found that Pendergraft had been previously convicted of more than one felony.
Indicted on three counts of Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 in a Drug Free Zone was Glenn Anthony Epps, 37. Epps and his wife, Tiffany, were arrested at the Child Protective Services Office in Sulphur Springs regarding two felony warrants for injury to a child. Epps and her husband were involved in a lengthy investigation by the Special Crimes Unit and CPS Agents regarding the sale and use of cocaine from their residence, 525 South Locust Street in Sulphur Springs. During the completion of the case the two youngest kids of nine living in the home tested positive for cocaine. Warrants were issued for both the mother and the father. The first arrest of the pair occurred on November 23 at their residence. During the search at that time by the Special Crimes Unit, a rectangular mirror containing a quantity of suspected crack cocaine weighing over 1-gram was in plain sight on top of the inside AC unit. Another clear bag containing over 1-gram of suspected crack cocaine was observed on the end table next to the bed. The Epps’ residence was within 1000 feet of a daycare center, a drug free zone, enhancing the charges. Child Protective Services was also involved in the arrest. There were nine (9) children living in the residence and present during the possession and delivery of the controlled substance.
Tiffany Nicole Epps, 29, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams. Both Tiffany Epps and her husband, Glenn, were indicted in January of this year for two counts each of Injury to a Child.
Anthony Bernard Sanders was indicted for Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 under 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone.
Lajerrius Exaviyon Jackson was indicted for Evading Arrest Detention with Previous Conviction and for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 4-gram but less than 200-grams.
Arthur Willis Spain was indicted for Tamper/Fabricate Evidence with Intent to Impair and also for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram.
Linnea Colynn Brown, 33, was indicted for Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair. Brown removed methamphetamine from her person in a holding cell and prepared the meth in a line (see story here). A sister inmate tore a piece of paper and made a make-shift straw. Both inmates used the straw.
Calise Maurice Frazier, 23, was indicted for Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair and also indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram. Frazier was one of two Paris men were arrested in a traffic stop that occurred on Church Street just south of Loop 301. The traffic stop resulted in a positive field test for DWI and an open container was found in the vehicle. Along with the open container was promethazine, a marijuana cigar, and a torn baggy used for packaging narcotics. During the process of the arrest, a white rock-like substance that field tested to be cocaine as also found.
Quadrea Quinton Dillard, 23, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram. Dillard was arrested with Frazier on Loop 301.
Larry Tyrone Goodson, 46, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone. He was walking on the wrong side of the street in the 300 block of Beckham Street and that drew the attention of Sulphur Springs police. The officer stopped and noted that Goodson threw an item of contraband on the ground. The contraband was suspected cocaine. As the officer began the arrest, Goodson resisted arrest. After a short foot pursuit, Goodson was in custody.
Darla Denette Rittenour, 47 was indicted Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone. Sulphur Springs Police were called to a reported burglary in a room at Royal Inn on South Broadway in Sulphur Springs. There they found a Greenville woman alone in the room. In plain view was less than 1-gram of methamphetamine. Rittenour was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone, a Felony 3.
Monique Devries, 35, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 3 less than 28-grams in a Drug Free Zone. An Arkansas man had escaped from the McGehee Police Department in that state. He was living at the residence also occupied by Devries of Sulphur Springs. During the arrest of the escapee, in plain view on the night stand in the bedroom was a prescription pill bottle containing several pills later identified as a controlled substance, penalty group 3, weighing approximately 20-grams.
Molly Michelle Collier, 27, was indicted for Possession of Marijuana more than 4 oz. but less than 5 pounds. A man and woman from Fort Worth were arrested in Hopkins County on I-30 Wednesday after marijuana, a large amount of cash and some cannabis oil were found in the vehicle they were in. A DPS trooper stopped a vehicle for speeding at the 135 mile marker of I-30 just before 1 p.m. Wednesday. In an arrest report, the trooper said he detected the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle led to discovery of some 2 pounds of marijuana, over $2500 in cash and 6 grams of cannabis oil. 30-year old Daniel Scott Pagano of Fort Worth was charged with possession of marijuana over 4 grams, money laundering and possession of a controlled substance over 4 grams.
Daniel Scott Pagano, 30, was indicted for Possession of Marijuana more than 4 oz. but less than 5 pounds.
Rodney Jerome Clayton, 45, was indicted for Possession of Marijuana more than 4 oz. but less than 5 pounds. Following a traffic stop, Clayton was nervous when speaking with the officer. Given consent to search the Chevrolet pickup, the officer found a clear plastic bag of green leafy substance believed to be marijuana under the hood of the vehicle. The stop was made within 1000 feet of the Early Childhood Learning Center, a Drug Free Zone.
Tommy Glen Camp was indicted for Possession of Marijuana more than 4 oz but less than 5 pounds.
Jerrod Ross McElhaney, 31, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 over 400-grams. McElhaney of Texarkana, was arrested on I-30 just before 1 a.m. Friday after three bundles of cocaine more than or equal to 400-grams were found in the car he was driving. Corporal Todd Evans with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office stopped a driver for a traffic violation at the 126 mile marker eastbound. The man had no ID but he did produce proof of insurance. An arrest report indicated the man seemed nervous and his account of his trip was suspicious. The man offered that he was on probation for a drug offense and he gave consent for a search of his car. Officers found three bundles of cocaine along with some baggies, a pipe often used for drug smoking, a rock of crack cocaine and some marijuana. The man’s vehicle was impounded by the Sheriff’s Office.
Rachel Dawn Gregory, 33, was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 over 4-grams but less than 200 grams. At 9:43 p.m. on I-30 at the 131 mile marker, DPS Trooper Hale made a traffic stop for an equipment violation. He found more than just a problem with the vehicle. Gregory of Talco, TX provided a false name and date of birth. She was placed under arrest for Failure to Identify Fugitive Intent to Give False Information. On her way to Hopkins County Jail, she stated to the trooper that she believed she had methamphetamine on her person. At the jail, a search found 15.3-grams of crystal methamphetamine, a clear plastic baggie containing less than 2 oz. of marijuana and a syringe on her person.
Karen Deborah Adkins, 40, was one of two women stopped by a Hopkins County deputy on Posey Ln at Wal Mart. There the officer located an item in the vehicle that field tested for methamphetamine. She admitted having meth and removed it from her person. The meth weighed 1.10 grams. She is on parole.
Roy Freeman Burkham, 59, was nervous during a traffic stop and that led officers to perform a pat down search. During the search Burkham gave the deputy permission to search his pockets. There they found several clear plastic baggies that contained a white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine. As deputies searched the vehicle, they found a clear syringe that contained methamphetamine. During the Miranda warning, Burkham stated that all the contraband belonged to him.
Individually indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams were:
Charles Wayne Spence, 58, was one of three arrested in a traffic stop after midnight on State Highway 11E at FM 269 in Pickton.
Alice Anne Blunt, 32, was found at a local truck stop sitting in a pickup truck and moving her jaw uncontrollably with sores on her face attracted attention to a possible need. Noting a green pouch and what appeared to be a syringe in the driver’s seat, the officer sought consent to search the vehicle. She told the officer that she used the syringe to shoot up methamphetamine. In his search he found two syringes in the green pouch along with a clear baggie of crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Eduardo Austin Torres, 17, (two counts) was arrested in a traffic stop Monday at 10:45 p.m. Torres was a passenger in the auto. When the 2008 GMC was stopped, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana and noticed Torres holding a small black bag against the floorboard with his foot. Torres was also carrying in his left pocket acigarette box containing several pill capsules containing suspected methamphetamine weighing 2.31-grams. The black bag contained a small wax paper with marijuana wax weighting approximately 1.7-grams. Also several suspected Alprozolam, Clonazepam, and Hydrocodone pills, along with a jar of green leafy substance believed to be marijuana was also located. Torres claimed ownership to all the narcotics.
Robert John Henson, 26 (two counts) was indicted.
Individually indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram:
Irene Maldonado, 25, (two counts) refused to give her address to the Hopkins County Deputy that stopped her at the 135 mile marker on I-30 eastbound. She did not have a driver’s license but did have state issued ID and is a US citizen. She also refused emergency contact information. However, drug paraphernalia was in plain view in the 2002 Ford Focus she was driving and .29-gram of methamphetamine was found. At Hopkins County jail the jail staff located .44-gram of black tar heroin on her person.
Jeremy Morgan Davis, 27, was in the auto with Maldonaldo.
Donald Shane Douglas, 52, was found to have under 1-gram of methamphetamine in the back of a cellphone case. After being read his rights, Douglas claimed possession of the meth. The cellphone number was identified as belonging to Douglas.
Waylon Wade Underwood, 38, of Cumby was stopped for a minor traffic and seemed to be nervous to the observant Cumby police officer. Underwood was asked to exit the auto and during a pat down for a weapon, a glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine fell from his left boot. A clear plastic baggy with a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine was found in his right front pants pocket.
Also indicted for less than 1-gram: Ryan O’Neal Smith; Tiffany Dawn Boykin; David Jason Creech; and Clayton Ryan Hanson.
