At least 3 people have been jailed in the last 4 days on controlled substance charges following traffic stops, and another was taken into custody on a controlled substance related warrant, according to police and sheriff’s reports.
FM 275 South Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Elijah Fite reported stopping a Honda Accord at 2:33 p.m. Monday, March 7, 2022, on FM 275 south for a traffic violation. Upon contact with Joey Allen Pierce, Fite noted the the 35-year-old Holly Lake Ranch man’s hands were visibly shaking.
Fite asked the man to step out of the car and wait with Sgt. Tanner Steward, while he relayed the man’s ID information to dispatchers for a records check.
Steward reported two pill bottles, one containing marijuana and the other containing what appeared to the officer to be a methamphetamine residue, were found in Pierce’s pocket. A probable cause search of the car was launched. The man was placed into custody for possession of drug paraphernalia. When asked if he had any additional contraband on him, Pierce allegedly admitted to having meth in his sock. The substance was removed from his footwear, then Pierce was transported to jail, Fite noted in arrest reports.
While processing evidence, the suspected meth field-tested positive and weighed 0.6 grams, including packaging. Pierce was booked into Hopkins County jail for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. Because the location of the stop was approximatley 163 feet from an elementary school, a drug-free zone enhancement was added to the controlled substance charge. He also was shown in jail reports to have speeding and driving while license invalid charges added.
Pierce was released from Hopkins County jail Tuesday, March 8, 2022, on a $5,000 bond on the controlled substance charge, according to jail reports.
FM 69 South Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Isaac Foley stopped a Chevrolet 1500 at 1:39 a.m. Sunday, March 6, 2022, on FM 69 south near FM 2948, for an obscured license plate. Sgt. Tanner Steward assisted.
While talking to the 54-year-old driver, he agreed to let deputies search the pickup. Deputies reported finding a plastic container with a plastic bag with a crystal-like substance inside of it. Ronald Martinez reportedly admitted to deputies the substance was methamphetamine.
Martinez was taken into custody. When continued search of the truck revealed no further contraband, he was transported to jail. The truck was impounded.
The substance weighed 1.089 grams, including packaging, resulting in Martinez being booked into Hopkins County jail at 3 a.m. Sunday for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. He was released from the county jail later Sunday, March 6, 2022, on a $10,000 bond on the felony controlled substance charge, according to jail reports.
Loop 301 Arrest
HCSO Sgt. Tanner Steward reported conducting a traffic stop on a Isuzu pickup at 7:53 p.m. Friday, March 4, 2022, on Loop 301 near Jefferson Street for not stopping at the stop sign at the intersection.
While speaking with the driver, Steward noted the 42-year-old Sulphur Springs didn’t make eye contact with him. Michael Scott Patterson Jr., did however, agree to let deputies search the truck and admitted to the possibility of marijuana paraphernalia in it, Steward alleged in arrest reports.
Deputies reported finding a small amount of marijuana, a bag with a crystal-like substance they believed to be methamphetamine in the truck. Consequently, Patterson was arrested at 8:07 p.m. Friday and taken to jail. The pickup was impounded. The substance was seized as evidence and weighed 1.229 grams including packaging.
Patterson, who is also known to go by Micheal Patterson, was booked into jail for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance. He was released from jail Saturday, March 5, 2022, on a $10,000 bond on the felony controlled substance charge, according to jail reports. Deputy Zack Horne was credited with assisting on the traffic stop.
Irwin Lane Arrest
HCSO Deputies Zack Horne, Isaac Foley and Drew Fisher, and Sgt. Tanner Steward were made aware of a warrant for Ernesto Arellano Martinez’s arrest early March 5, 2022. They went to the front door of the 40-year-old’s Irwin Drive address, knocked on the door and called more than once that law enforcement was at the door, for the occupant to open up.
(HCSO jail photo)
Deputies reported seeing and being able to positively identify Ernesto Martinez through a window on the north side of hte residence. The man, the sheriff’s officer noted in arrest reports, was tiptoeing around inside the residence, avoiding law enforcement, Foley alleged in arrest reports. Deputies forced entry into the residence, and took Martinez into custody at 2:08 a.m. Saturday.
At that time, Martinez allegedly admitted he was aware law enforcement were present and had had been attempting to avoid contact with them, before they entered the residence, a deputies wrote in arrest reports.
Martinez was transported to jail and booked in for surety off bond on an Oct. 26, 2021 manufacture or delivery of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1-B controlled substance charge, according to jail reports. The 40-year-old Sulphur Springs man remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in lieu of $500,000 bond on the felony 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.
