A wanted Saltillo man was caught with methamphetamine Thursday evening, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office deputies, aware of the arrest warrant, contacted Robert Earl Smith at his County Road 3604 residence at 6:45 p.m. May 13, 2021. The 56-year-old advised deputies he needed to grab some personal effects prior to being put into handcuffs and taken to jail on the outstanding surety off bond on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge, deputies noted in arrest reports.
Deputies stood inside the living area of the home while Smith did so. Smith reportedly retrieved an item from a tin box on the coffee table, revealing to deputies a burned glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke methamphetamine and other related paraphernalia. Closer inspection of the box revealed a few baggies with suspected methamphetamine and miscellaneous items of drug paraphernalia containing suspected meth residue, HCSO Deputies Aaron Chaney and Chris Baumann alleged in arrest reports.
Smith was taken into custody at 6:50 p.m. May 13 and the suspected controlled substance and contraband were seized. Additional suspected marijuana was observed in the bottom of the box as well. The suspected meth and baggies weighed 1.4 grams; the meth field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Deputy Chaney used Google satellite imagery to determine the CR 3604 residence where Smith was located is within 500 feet of a school, making it a drug-free zone, the deputy wrote in arrest reports.
No only was Smith booked into jail on the warrant for surety off bond on the May 20, 2020 controlled substance charge but also on a new possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone, according to arrest reports.
Smith remained in Hopkins County jail Friday night, May 13, 2021, on both charges. His bonds totaled $40,000: $20,000 per charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
