Over 55 Indictments Signed During March 2021 Grand Jury Session

More than 55 indictments were signed during the March 2021 Grand Jury session, pushing those cases forward for prosecution.

The charges range from stalking, assault of a public servant, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment to felony drunk driving, money laundering, evading arrest in a vehicle, burglary and theft offenses. At least half of the charges were for controlled substance and marijuana offenses, according to the list released by the District Clerk’s Office this week.

Approximately 45 individuals were named in the indictments, including at least six people accused of more than one offense and, in a few cases, more than one individual was alleged to have participated in the same offense.

Kathleen Rose Ramshur was indicted during the March 5, 2020 Hopkins County Grand Jury session on stalking and tampering with or fabricating evidence with intent to impair it. She was arrested on June 2, 2020, by a Texas Ranger for allegedly stalking a former Sulphur Springs police officer, when he returned to town briefly over the summer.

The officer alleged being stalked 8 years before, with a cell phone user’s number distorted or masked when it was used to sent harassing messages. The officer, who moved from Sulphur Springs after accepting employment elsewhere, said the contact ceased after he moved to another town.  Following a brief visit by the man to Sulphur Springs over the summer, the phone messages reportedly resumed. Through investigation officials reported obtaining information implicating Kathleen Rose Ramshur as the suspect in the stalking, officials reported.

While being interviewing, Ramshur was reportedly asked to release her cell phone to the Texas Ranger, so items on the phone could be downloaded as part of the stalking investigation. The then 45-year-old Sulphur Springs woman claimed it was in the process of downloading and eventually turned the phone over to the Ranger, arrest reports alleged. When a sheriff’s detective attempted to download the contents of the phone, he learned the phone had been reset, in what appeared to officials to be an attempt to destroy evidence of the crime, according to arrest reports. When the Ranger questioned Ramshur about it, Ramshur allegedly admitted she was attempting to destroy all evidence of the stalking crime, the arrest report alleged.

Ramshur was arrested June 2, 2020, on both a stalking charge and a tampering with evidence charge for trying to “dump” the contents of her phone. She was released from Hopkins County jail June 4, 2020 on a $15,000 bond per charge, according to jail reports.

Named in three assault of a public servant indictments was Jacob Wyatt Burgess.

The 28-year-old has remained in jail since his arrest March 22, 2020 on a criminal trespassing charge after he was caught at a County Road 1441 residence for which he’d previously been issued a trespass warning. At the time of his arrest in March 22, officials were reportedly investigating a report of an alleged sex crime by Burgess.  After interviews, investigators received and served Burgess with a second-degree felony warrant alleging indecency with a child by sexual contact the next day, officials reported following Burgess’ arrest in early 2020.

While still in custody on Dec. 2, 2020, Burgess allegedly began fighting with three corrections officers, who were attempting to remove him from his cell in order for it to cleaned. He allegedly struck all three jailers with his hands and feet more than once, causing bodily injury to the jail officers. He was indicted March 5, 2021 on the three assault on a public servant. charges.

Leeroy Cecilio Luna was indicted March 5, 2021 on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.

The 33-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested Jan. 9, 2021, on he aggravated assault charge and a public intoxication charge after allegedly making a threat with a knife at a North Davis Street location, according to police reports. He was determined to be intoxicated in a public place. Then, officers were told by several witnesses that Luna had made a threat with a knife to another person present. Officers searched the location but did not find a weapon. Luna was taken to jail, where jail staff recovered from Luna’s pants pocket a weapon matching the description of the knife used during the alleged threat. Luna was released from Hopkins County jail on Jan. 10 on a $35,000 bond on the second-degree felony charge, according to arrest and jail reports.

Indicted on three theft of a firearm charges and one unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon was 24-year-old Justin Alexander Carty of Commerce. Cordryc Quinnshau Shropshire of Sulphur Springs was also indicted on a related theft of a firearm charge.

Carty was identified via a Crime Stoppers tip Dec. 30, 2020, to be a potential person of interest in multiple theft/burglary cases. They contacted Carty at a Helm Lane apartment, where one pistol was found in a case in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. Carty allegedly admitted to breaking into cars on Jill Lane as well as the Dec. 27 incident and was found to be a convicted felon, sheriff’s officers alleged in December 2020.

Investigators contacted 27-year-old Shropshire who allegedly admitted to trading two stolen firearms for marijuana. Two additional guns reportedly taken during the Dec. 27 burglary were located on a bedroom closet shelf, sheriff’s officers alleged in a December 2020 news release. Shropshire claimed he’d had a third firearm found in the apartment for more than a year. A records check showed the gun had been reported stolen in 2011.

Both were arrested Dec. 30, 2020 on the charges they were indicted on during the March 5 Grand Jury session. Carty has remained in Hopkins County jail since his arrest; bond was set at $5,000 on the theft of firearm charges and $10,000 on the unlawful possession of firearm by a felon charge, according to jail reports. Shropshire was released from Hopkins County jail on New Year’s Eve on a $5,000 bond on the theft of firearm charge, jail reports show.

Michael Leslie Copeland was indicted during the March 5, 2021 court session on a burglary of a habitation charge.

Deputies arrested the 40-year-old Cooper man, who appeared to be sleeping in his vehicle at the roadside Dec. 23, 2020, following what is believed to be a crime spree involving mail theft and a home burglary. Copeland, at the time, claimed he was resting in the road after leaving a County Road 1190 residence, where he used to live. He claimed he had yet to change his mailing address so he was just checking the mail box for mail, deputies alleged in arrest reports.

Seeing several open containers in the vehicle, the deputy searched the silver vehicle. Three debit cards that did not belong to Copeland and multiple articles of mail from multiple addresses on CR 1190 were located, the deputy wrote in arrest reports. As a result, Copeland was taken into custody for mail theft and fraudulent use or possession of credit/debit card information.

Another deputy, apprised of the situation located an open door on a vehicle at the address where he claimed to have previously lived. The vehicle appeared to have been rummaged through, the front door of the residence appeared to have been forced open, a window unit appeared to be missing and the inside of the residence appeared to have been destroyed, deputies alleged in arrest reports. A ladder was propped next to a window on the rear of the residence and a window unit was located in the trunk of the vehicle, according to arrest reports. Thus, Copeland was also charged with burglary of a habitation in connection with the deputies’ findings on CR 1190. He had remained in the county jail since his arrest on the charges.

Clinton Scott Williams was indicted during for burglary of a habitation and possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.

The 38-year-old was arrested early Jan. 9, 2021, after being caught at County Road 3364 residence window. The homeowner had a live feed from security cameras of someone shining a light through the windows. Deputies spotted Williams fleeing on foot from a back window. After a brief foot pursuit, he was taken into custody; he allegedly had 1.5 grams of methamphetamine in his pocket at the time of his arrest, deputies alleged in arrest reports.

He remained in jail from Jan. 8 through Feb. 26, when he was released on a $30,000 bond on the burglary charge and a $10,000 bond on the controlled substance charge, according to jail reports.

Mary Elizabeth Walker was indicted in March 2021 for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and abandoning or endangering of a child-criminal negligence.

The 26-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was arrested on Jan. 4, 2021 on the child endangerment charge warrant; the offense, according to arrest reports was alleged to have occurred on Nov. 28, 2020. She remained in Hopkins County jail on that charge until Feb. 10, 2021. She has at least four prior controlled substance arrests on her record, the last on Feb. 4 for less than 1 gram and a warrant for 1-4 grams on Dec. 2, 2020. She was released from jail on the latter on a $10,000 bond on Dec. 4, according to jail reports.

Pedro Esquivel-Carriezes was indicted was indicted for unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Cumby Police stopped the 33-year-old Grand Prairie man on Interstate 30 on Jan. 23, 2021; Esquivel-Carriezes was driving a car that’d been reported to Grand Prairie Police as stolen.

He was released from jail the next day on a $5,000 bond on the UUV charge, according to jail reports.

Jesse J. Anderson, 33, of Arkansas was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on an evading arrest or detention with a vehicle charge.

He was arrested Sept. 26, 2020 on the charge. A state trooper tried to stop him for traveling on Interstate 30 at speed from 75 to more than 100 miles per hours. A bag was thrown out the driver’s side window and continued on I-30, increasing speed, passing a big rig on the shoulder and weaving between vehicles. A Cumby Police spiked the car’s tires at mile marker 100. It continued to the 107 mile marker before stopping. Suspected codeine and a bag of suspected marihuana was found in the car. All four occupants denied ownership and were arrested on that charge. Anderson also was charged with evading arrest in the vehicle. He was released from jail on Sept. 28, 2020 on a $50,000 bond on one controlled substance charge, $15,000 bond on the evading arrest charge and $1,000 on the possession of marijuana charge.

Ronald Floyd Jr. and Erik Maray Williams were indicted on one count each of money laundering.

Both were reportedly arrested on Jan. 8, 2021, following an I-30 traffic stop. A trooper alleged smelling marijuana. The occupants gave conflicting stories about their travels and destination. Williams then claimed to have a medical marijuana card and admitted to possessing marijuana; a useable quantify of marijuana and large amount of cash secured with rubber bands in Williams’ luggage. The 38-year-old Williams of Cincinnati claimed the cash was about $20,000. Floyd admitted to having a jar of marijuana; the trooper found a useable amount of marijuana and large amounts of currency 36-year-old Floyd of Cincinnati claimed amounted to about $43,000. All occupants from their vehicle were arrested and interviewed. A DPS canine reportedly alerted on the money, an indication to the state officials the money had been within close proximity to narcotics, the trooper alleged in arrest reports. Both were taken into custody for possession of marijuana and money laundering, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.

Gilbert Ray Collier Jr. was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on an evading arrest or detention with a vehicle charge.

Cumby police initially contacted Collier after the man claimed his vehicle had been grazed and pushed off the I-30 by another vehicle, but admitted when police arrive that the other car hadn’t actually struck his vehicle and asked for a wrecker. After the wrecker pulled the vehicle out of the mud, they began negotiating payment. The 33-year-old San Antonio man paid $74 of the $150 owed for the service, went back to his vehicle and refused to get out. When the officer reached for the key to shut off the ignition, Collier allegedly grabbed the officer’s hand, put the car in drive and sped off while holding the policeman’s arm. Fortunately, the officer disengaged and received only a minor scratch on his hand, according to arrest and police reports.

Collier got on I-30 and continued from the 112 to the 120 mile marker, where the vehicle’s tires were spiked, then another mile before stopping. When deputies approached the car, the man again refused their instructions to get out, so they removed him from the car. He was taken into custody and the car was impounded, adding to the bill fees he already owed for wrecker service in Hopkins County. He was arrested for evading arrest or detention with the vehicle and theft for not fully paying or making arrangement to pay for the tow out of the mud early Jan. 4, 2021, Cumby police and deputies alleged in arrest reports.

He remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday, March 11, 2021, in lieu of $10,000 bond on the evading charge and a $5,000 bond on the theft charge, according to jail reports.

Chun Zachary Lambert was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and theft of a firearm.

Lambert was arrested Jan. 13, 2021 and had remained in jail ever since. Bond was set at $20,000 on the unlawful possession charge and $10,000 on the theft charge. The 43-year-old The Colony resident was initially jailed on two aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges and one charge each of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, failure to identify and violation of parole charge and possession of a controlled substance charges, as well as two warrants for theft of property, following a Jan. 13 County Road 4711 disturbance involving a firearm. A search of his truck resulted in location of nearly 6 grams of suspected methamphetamine. He also allegedly ran his truck through a fence and had someone else’s wallet with 13 items of identifying information inside of it. He was served two weeks later with a warrant for the firearm theft, deputies alleged in arrest and jail reports.

Randy Dale Hargrave was also indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on an unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon charge.

The 45-year-old Cooper man was allegedly caught Jan. 8 by a deputy trying to discard a pill bottle out the passenger window of a truck during a traffic stop. The bottle allegedly contained nearly 7 grams of suspected methamphetamines. A firearm was also found in the truck; a records check of Hargrave’s criminal history showed he has prior felony convictions, so he was arrested not only on a controlled substance possession charge and a tampering with evidence charge for trying to discard the bottle, but also the firearm charge, deputies alleged in arrest reports.

Hargrave was released from Hopkins County jail Jan. 11, 2021 on a $30,000 bond on the controlled substance charge and $10,000 bond each on the tampering with evidence and firearm charge, according to jail reports.

Allen Dayne Lawson was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session for criminal mischief resulting in $30,000 to $150,000 worth of damage.

Lawson, while in jail for public intoxication following a Dec. 13 altercation with a truck driver at a Cumby rest stop, allegedly destroyed the protective padding on the door and tore a circular section from the wall of the “violent cell” he was placed in Dec. 14 for trying to physically harm himself. When he continued to display violent behavior, Lawson was placed into a restraint chair to prevent him from causing any further harm to himself and was charged with criminal mischief for the cell damage, deputies alleged in arrest reports.

The 62-year-old Quitman resident was released from Hopkins County jail later Dec. 14, 2020, on a $10,000 bond for a criminal mischief charge, according to jail reports.

Heather Marie Anderson was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on a credit or debit card abuse charge.

The 28-year-old was arrested Nov. 21, 2020, at a local motel, where deputies had received a tip the wanted woman could be found. the offense was alleged to have occurred on Sept. 28, 2020, on FM 1567 east, according to arrest reports.

Anderson was released from the county jail Sunday, Nov. 22, on a $10,000 bond on the credit or debit card abuse charge, according to jail reports.

Jose Juan Arellano-Soria was indicted for driving while intoxicated with a child passenger under 15 years of age.

The 29-year-old Winnsboro man was arrested early Jan. 17, for the charge. Troopers reportedly stopped him for driving 81 miles per hour in a 70 mph speed zone on SH 11 east, and the highway patrol noted he displayed signs of intoxication when contacted. He allegedly admitted to drinking 3-4 beers and showed signs of intoxication during standard field sobriety testing and was taken into custody for DWI. The man’s wife and three children, ages 3, 7 and 11 were reported in the pickup with him at the time of the traffic stop. The truck and kids were released to Arellano-Soria’s wife. He reportedly tested 0.127 and 0.13 on breath tests and was arrested on the felony DWI charge a well as not having a driver’s license, according to arrest reports. He was release from jail Jan. 20, 2021 on a $5,000 bond on the DWI charge, according to jail reports.

Melvin Jerome Askew Jr. and Johnny Vance Danner were both indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on one driving while intoxicated, third or more offense, charge each.

Askew was arrested on Dec. 12, 2020, and Dec. 26, 2020 on DWI charges. He was detained by an officer helping direct traffic for the annual Blue Santa distribution. Police reported Askew had heavy, slurred speech that sounded as if his tongue was swollen, as well as glassy, bloodshot eyes and continued to apologize. He showed clues of intoxication on horizontal gaze nystagmus tests but didn’t have vertical nystagmus, and refused to perform any other sobriety tests. Askew then agreed to submit to a blood sample, which was taken at the hospital, but not a breath test, police alleged in arrest reports. He was released from jail on Dec. 13 on a $10,000 bond. Askew was jailed again the day after Christmas on a DWI charge as well; he was released on a $2,000 bond on Dec. 27, according to jail reports. He had previously been arrested on May 15, 2005 and was released from jail the next day on a $1,000 bond for DWI; and was arrested Sept. 2 and released Sept. 3, 2016 on a $2,000 bond for DWI, according to jail reports.

Danner was arrested by Cumby police on June 6, 2020 on the felony DWI charge, following a single-vehicle traffic crash on I-30 west. When asked, the 60-year-old Arlington man alleged he’d had “a lot” to drink. He was unsteady on his feet and refused to perform sobriety tests. Although he was allowed to lean against his vehicle for balance, he reportedly fell to his knees and had to be assisted by two officers to a patrol vehicle. Danner had a prior third or more DWI conviction on his record, hence the felony charge, according to June 2020 arrest reports. He was released from Hopkins County jail the next day on a $10,000 bond, according to jail reports.

Indicted during the March 5 Grand Jury Session on a possession of 4 pounds or more but less than 5 pounds of marijuana charge was Brandon Jabbar Green. The 38-year-old Grand Prairie man was arrested by DPS on the charge on Nov. 1, 2020. He was released from Hopkins County jail later that day on a $2,000 bond on charge, according to jail reports.

Tommy Lee Davis was indicted on a possession of more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance with intent to distribute charge, while Janie Natasha Johnson was indicted during the March 5 Grand Jury session on a manufacture or delivery of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge.

Davis was arrested Dec. 9, 2020, after police found over 6 grams of suspected crack cocaine and packaging in the 44-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s pocket, and other drug paraphernalia found in his possession during a late night traffic stop, police alleged in arrest reports. Davis was released from Hopkins County jail on a $50,000 bond, according to jail reports.

Johnson, who is also known by Janie Natasha Crist, Natasha Janie Johnson and Janie Natasha Craig, was arrested by Commerce Police on Dec. 2, 2020, at a Commerce Inn on a Hopkins County warrant, then transferred to Hopkins County jail on the charge. The 39-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was released from Hopkins County jail on Dec. 4 on a $20,000 bond. Johnson was then jailed from Dec. 11-15 for violation of probation on a manufacture or delivery of 1-4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.

Elizabeth Cadena was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session for possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance in a drug-free zone. The 19-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was arrested Nov. 1, 2020 by police, who reported finding a baggy of a suspected marijuana, a bag with one white pill and one blue pill later identified as Xanax in her truck during a routine traffic stop.

Brady Michael Miller was indicted during the March 2021 Grand Jury session on a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance. The 20-year-old was arrested early Aug. 20, 2020 by deputies who reported finding a green-like substance inside of clear pill capsules believed to be mushrooms, edible brownies, suspected marijuana and two fake driver’s licenses during an I-30 traffic stop. Miller admitted the pills were mushrooms, having marijuana and fake driver’s licenses, resulting in his arrest for possession of two controlled substances, marijuana and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, officers alleged in arrest reports. He was released from jail Aug. 22, 2020 on $35,000 per controlled substance charge, and $5,000 bond each on the two other charge, according to jail reports.

The other half of the indictments signed during the March 2021 Grand Jury session were for possession of Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; included among the 22 accused in the indictments of having a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance were:

• David Lane Basham – less than 1 gram;
• Carolyn Denise Brumley – 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Walter Lynn Crawford – less than 1 gram;
• Samantha Mitchell Elkins 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Mary Angela Denton – less than 1 gram;
• Leah Brooke Fisher – less than 1 gram;
• Kelly Wayne Gathright – less than 1 gram;
• Lori Ann Hall – less than 1 gram;
• Justin Powell Freeman – 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Carolyn Suzanne Hinson – less than 1 gram;
• Earnest Miller Johnson – less than 1 gram;
• Melissa Ann Kerby – 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Bailey Magnuson – less than 1 gram;
• Kevin Wayne Morey – 4 grams but less than 200 grams;
• Shannon Aaron Payne – less than 1 gram;
• Stacy Lynn Rasch – less than 1 gram;
• Doris Rosamarie Russell – less than 1 gram;
• Cecily Elizabeth Saffel – 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Stephanie Deann Smith – less than 1 gram;
• Justinian M. Smith, 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams;
• Jeramy Lynard Thomas – 400 grams or more; and
• Russell James Whited – less than 1 gram.

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.

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.