September 19, 2022 – Two local men were jailed on an insurance fraud charge each over the weekend. Each is are accused of involvement in a scheme in which a $115,000 pickup was reported stolen and burned; a third man has also been implicated in connection with the July case, according to sheriff’s investigators.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Dennis Findley said the case has been ongoing since July 11, when Matthew Snyder reported his vehicle stolen. The pickup was recovered the next morning in Paris, Texas. The 2022 Dodge mega cab truck were reported to have been burned to the ground, with the exception of the wheels and tires which were recently located.
Findley said details and information gleaned regarding the truck raised several red flags of possible criminal activity and the investigation continued, including talking to Snyder a few times as well as several others. The sheriff’s investigator alleged that Snyder, during an interview a short time later, admitted he “could no longer afford payment on the truck working where he was working at that pay, so he set up a deal to ‘have something done’ to the vehicle.”
With continued investigation, the HCSO staff received information alleging the wheels and tires from the burned truck could be seen on another man’s vehicle, in use, undamaged. They were found following up on leads, along with a trailer that’d been previously reported to authorities in another county as stolen, according to Findley. Based on evidence collected, HCSO obtained warrants for Matthew Lynn Snyder’s arrest.
Findley said a third man’s name kept coming up in connection with the investigation into the “stolen” and burned truck from a number of witnesses. Continued pursuit of the matter tied Jerry Wayne Hill and the as seen together the night the truck was reported to have been burned. Sheriff’s officers sought a warrant for Hill’s arrest as well, Findley noted.
HCSO Deputy Richard Brantley and Sgt. Todd Evans reported seeing 51-year-old Hill pulling into a State Highway 19 north driveway. They took the Sulphur Springs man into custody at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022 on a first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity warrant and a third-degree felony insurance fraud $30,000-$150,000, according to arrest reports. Hill, who is also known by Wayne Jerry Russell and Jerry Wayne Hill Jr. remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. His bonds totaled $150,000 — $100,000 on the criminal activity charge and $50,000 on the insurance fraud charge, according to jail reports.
HCSO Deputy Aaron Chaney saw Matthew Lynn Snyder turn into his residence along Interstate 30 east Sunday afternoon. After having communications confirm the 42-year-old Sulphur Springs man still had active warrants for his arrest, Chaney contact and took Snyder into custody at 3:51 p.m. Sept. 18, 2022. Snyder too was booked into jail at 4:48 p.m. Sunday on a first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity charge and a third-degree felony insurance fraud in the amount of $30,000-$150,000. Snyder too remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, Sept. 19, 2022 in lieu of $150,000 bond on the charges.
Jail records show the third man alleged to have been involved in the incident, Charles Ray “Butch” Potts Jr., has remained in the Hopkins County jail since his arrest Aug. 30, 2022, on a possession of controlled substance charge. He also was charged on warrants for insurance fraud in the amount of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, failure to control speed and tampering with evidence. HCSO Investigator Dennis Findley also served Potts at the jail with an additional tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair warrant at 3:45 p.m. Aug. 31, 2022, according to arrest reports.
Potts bonds were set at $100,000 each on the controlled substance and fraud charges, and at $30,000 each on two tampering with evidence charges, according to jail reports.
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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.
