5 Others Arrested On Controlled Substance, Related Charges; Teen Jailed On Marijuana Charge
What started off as a courtesy stop to check on a motorist in Birthright resulted in a felony controlled substance arrest, according to arrest reports. In unrelated incidents this week, a youth learned the consequences of having an illegal substance in a drug-free zone Friday, and at least four others were also booked into the county jail on controlled substance charges from Oct. 4-8, 2021, according to arrest reports.
Call Leads to 2 Arrests
Michael Allen Comfort and Taylor Elise Allen were arrested Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone.
Sulphur Springs Police responded with Hopkins County EMS at a Church Street address, to what was reported as a possible overdose. One person was reportedly transported to the hospital.
SSPD Officer Francisco Castro stayed with a man and woman at the address. After being granted permission to search a vehicle, he reported finding a number of syringes loaded with suspected herion and methamphetamine. A case with a plastic bag containing suspected meth and black tar heroin was also located, Castro alleged in arrest reports.
Both Comfort, who is also known by Matthew Joseph Comfort, and Allen were arrested for 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.
The 35-year-old Longview man and 30-year-old Kilgore woman remained in Hopkins County jail Saturday evening, Oct. 9, 2021, on the controlled substance charge. Bond was set at $30,000 on the third-degree felony charge, according to jail reports.
SH 19 North Courtesy Stop
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Officer Timothy around 4:40 p.m. Friday noticed a gray Nissan Armada with one rear flasher active, parked with the motor still running, on the side of State Highway 19 north across from the dollar store in Birthright. So, King conducted a courtesy stop to see if the driver was in need of assistance.
Before getting out of his vehicle, King noted the driver had begun to accelerate the vehicle, while in park. He approached the passenger’s side of the SUV. Inside, he reported seeing a male leaned back, sleeping in the driver’s seat, with a white baggy containing a crystal-like substance King suspected was methamphetamine.
King requested a deputy to respond to assist him in waking up the sleeping man behind the wheel of the SUV, then took a photo of the substance, documenting its existence. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Richard Greer and a Delta County Sheriff’s officer responded to King’s request for back up.
The officers opened the driver’s side door and attempted to place a handcuff on the wrist of the man inside the Armada, he began jerking away, not following officers’ commands, King alleged in arrest reports. The officers continued to instruct him to comply with their instructions but he continued to stiffen his arm and wouldn’t put it behind his back, So, King grabbed one arm and Greer the other and put him on his stomach so the handcuffs could be applied, according to arrest reports.
A records check of the Missouri license plate produced an incorrect return. Numerous broken glass pipes were found in the SUV when it was inventories. The occupant, identified as 35-year-old Emmanuel Alejandro Ojeda-Carbajal of Kansas City, Missouri, was booked into Hopkins County jail on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
Ojeda-Carabajal remained in Hopkins County jail at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. His bond was set at $25,000 on the charge.
Marijuana In A Drug-Free Zone
An officers walked into the south restroom entrance in a drug-free zone at 9:45 p.m. Friday and noticed two individuals in a single stall. One of the individuals was found to have what turned out to be two small Swisher sweet bags in his hand. He complied when the officer asked to check what he had. He reported finding a green, leafy substance that looked and smelled like marijuana in the teen’s possession. Consequently, the 17-year-old was taken into custody for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana in a drug-free zone, a Class A misdemeanor offense.
The Sulphur Springs teen remained in Hopkins County jail Saturday afternoon, Oct. 9, 2021. Bond on the charge was set at $2,000, according to jail reports.
KSST does not publish the names or photos of people charged with misdemeanor crimes in staff-generated reports, only those accused of felony offenses.
Traveling In The Left Lane of I-30 Without Passing
HCSO Deputy Thomas Patterson stopped a Chevrolet Tahoe Monday, Oct. 4, on Interstate 30 west at mile marker 121 for traveling in the left lane for an extended period of time and not passing, despite signs posted along I-30 stipulating the left lane is specifically for passing only.
Patterson also, in arrest reports, noted the driver’s behavior showed suspicious indicators, specifically frequent braking when not close to other vehicles or reaching speed near the posted speed limit of 75 miles per hour. While talking with the deputy, the driver, identified as Luis Enrique Sanchez-Ramos, agreed to let him search the SUV. The deputy reported finding a clear resealable bag containing a substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 1 pound, 1.8 ounces in the SUV.
The 25-year-old Karnes (a small town in Karnes County), Texas man was arrested for possession of more than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 1/1B controlled substance. Sanchez-Ramos remained in Hopkins County jail Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 on the felony charge. Bond was set at $30,000, according to jail reports.
Jefferson Street Traffic Stop
HCSO Sgt. Scott Davis stopped a white Toyota Tacoma at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, on Jefferson Street at Alabama Street for a traffic violation. Upon contact, the officer noted the driver’s hands were trembling. When he asked, Joshua Paul Stillwagoner refused to let him search the pickup, but admitted there was a glass pipe oft he kind used to smoke methamphetamine in the ashtray, Davis alleged in arrest reports.
Due to the 38-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s nervousness, Davis put Stillwagoner in hand restraints and searching him. A small amount of marijuana, a small tin with a baggy of suspected meth and a baggy of suspected Xanax, Davis alleged in arrest reports. Consequently, the man was taken into custody. A search of the truck prior to impound revealed the meth pipe with suspected meth residue in the ashtray. Two additional baggies containing suspected meth residue were located.
After arriving to assist, Deputy Nick Marney continued the search of the truck for inventory prior to it being impounded. Davis transported the 38-year-old Sulphur Springs man to the county jail, where Stillwagoner was booked for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, which weighed less than 1 gram as well as a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for a possession of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
Stillwagoner was held in Hopkins County jail Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, on the violation of probation charge; bond on the controlled substance charge was set at $20,000, according to jail reports.
Como Warrant Arrest
HCSO Deputies Justin Wilkerson and Nick Marney, aware of a warrant for Suzanne Marie Baca’s arrest, went to the 57-year-old Como woman’s County Road 1475 residence and took her into custody at 7:01 p.m. Oct. 5, 2021, on a warrant for violation of probation, which she was on for a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Baca, who is also known by Suzanne Marie Vaughun, Suzanne Marie McClain, Suzanne Mc-Clain and Suzanne Vaughun-Martinez, was held in in Hopkins County jail Saturday evening, Oct. 9, 2021, on the probation violation charge. The 38-year-old Como woman was arrested on the original controlled substance on Sept. 1, 2019, then released from jail on Sept. 4 after securing the $20,000 bond set on the charge, according to Hopkins County jail reports.
