2 Men Arrested Thursday On Felony Charges
Two men were arrested Thursday on outstanding felony charges, according to arrest reports.
A 30-year-old Sulphur Springs man was jailed Thursday on a felony Rockwall County theft warrant.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Dustin Green responded Thursday to a criminal trespass complaint. Upon arrival at the Gilmer Street store, employees asked that Shawn March be issued a criminal trespass warning prohibiting him from returning to the property. A records check showed three warrants for the 30-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s arrest.
March was taken into custody at 7:36 p.m. April 28, 2022,on a Rockwall County theft of property valued at less than $2,500 worth of property with two or more offenses, and two city traffic warrants. Fees owed on the city charges totaled $1090.70, according to arrest reports. March remained in Hopkins County jail Friday on the felony Rockwall County theft charge, according to jail reports. Bond was recommended to be $10,000, and require a GPS device, Green noted in arrest reports. Bond was set at $100,000 on the warrant, according to jail reports.
Christopher Lee Vail was scheduled to appear in the district court at 1:30 p.m. April 28 on a motion to proceed on an indecency with a child by sexual contact, the court docket shows
Vail was taken into custody at 5:10 p.m. and escorted into Hopkins County jail by Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dan Turrentine on an order from the 8th Judicial District Court on two indecency with a child charges, according to arrest reports. He was released to jail staff and booked in on both charges. The 64-year-old remained in Hopkins County jail until Friday, April 29, 2022, according to jail reports.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
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.
Man Reported For Yelling At Child Jailed On Controlled Substance Possession Charge
A 62-year-old Sulphur Springs man reported for yelling at a child in a FM 71 east driveway ended up in jail on a controlled substance possession charge, according to jail reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s deputies were dispatched at 4:46 p.m. April 28, 2022, to the FM 71 east residence, where the complainant alleged an older white male had pulled a SUV into their driveway and began yelling at the young female in the yard, calling her his granddaughter. The man had left prior to officers’ arrival, according to sheriff’s office and arrest reports.
Deputies showed a photo which was identified as the person who’d pulled into the driveway. The picture was of Gary Dwayne Waldrep. Upon arrival the 62-year-old man’s Spur 71 residence, deputies observed Waldrep sitting in a vehicle. During a conversation with the man, Waldrep allegedly admitted to being the man who pulled in at the FM 71 east residence.
Waldrep agreed to let deputies search his vehicle. Deputy Zach Steward patted the man down and had him empty his pockets. Waldrep emptied from his pockets a cartridge with a thick brown liquid that emitted a marijuana odor, Steward alleged in arrest reports.
Sgt. Richard Greer reported finding a vape pen with a cartridge with THC liquid during a search of the vehicle. Waldrep was taken into custody at 4:57 p.m. Thursday and transported by Deputy Elijah Fite to the county jail.
Waldrep, whose jail reports show he also has been known to use the alias Popeye, was booked into jail at 6:10 p.m. April 28, 2022, for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance. He was released from the county jail Friday, April 29, 2022, on a $25,000 bond on the felony charge, according to jail reports.
Texas Motorcyclist Deaths on the Rise
TEXAS MOTORCYCLIST DEATHS ON THE RISE In the wake of 519 rider fatalities last year, TxDOT urges drivers to look twice for motorcyclists |
May 3, 2022
AUSTIN – One evening in April 2021, Eric Newell was out for a ride in Houston when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a vehicle, breaking both of his legs, dislocating his hips and injuring his back and hands. He is just one of 2,318 Texas motorcyclists seriously injured in crashes last year.
Crashes like Newell’s are one reason why the Texas Department of Transportation is observing National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May, reminding drivers to be extra vigilant around riders and to give them extra space and consideration on the state’s roadways.
“On average, at least one motorcycle rider dies every day in a crash on our streets and highways,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “Each of these riders is a husband or wife, someone’s son or daughter, brother or sister or mother or father. As more and more motorcyclists take to the road to enjoy the beautiful Texas scenery and warmer weather, it’s crucial that drivers remain alert and look out for people riding motorcycles.”
TxDOT’s annual “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign calls attention to the safety precautions motorists must take to protect motorcyclists. State officials report that 519 motorcycle riders died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, a 7% increase over the previous year. And even though motorcycles comprise less than 2% of vehicles in Texas, they accounted for 12% of the fatalities in 2021.
TxDOT offers these life-saving safety tips for drivers to protect motorcyclists and prevent crashes:
- Take extra care when making a left turn. Always assume motorcycles are closer than they appear and avoid turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
- Pay special attention at intersections. A third of motorcycle fatalities happen at roadway intersections.
- Give driving your full attention. Even a momentary distraction, such as answering a phone call or changing the radio station, can have deadly consequences.
- Look twice when changing lanes. Check mirrors, check blind spots, and always use turn signals.
- Give motorcyclists room when passing them. Move over to the passing lane and don’t crowd the motorcyclist’s full lane.
- Stay back. If you’re behind a motorcycle, always maintain a safe following distance. When a motorcyclist downshifts instead of applying the brake to slow down, it can catch drivers off guard since there are no brake lights to signal reduced speed.
- Slow down. Obey posted speed limits and drive to conditions.
TxDOT is taking its “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign exhibit to cities across Texas this month. The campaign exhibit immerses participants in a virtual reality to experience from a driver’s perspective how difficult it is to spot motorcyclists in high-risk traffic situations—and to experience close calls and dangerous situations from a motorcyclist’s perspective.
The “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, avoiding distractions, and never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. November 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at [email protected] or (512) 463-8700.
The information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). This information was received and processed by the department as of March 4, 2022.
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HCSO/Posse & DEA Hosting National Prescription Drug Take Back Day April 30
The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
DEA and Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office are committed to making our communities safer and healthier, by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths. Part of that includes the annual Drug Take Back Day events like the one the Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff’s Posse are hosting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Atwood’s parking lot, located at 817 Gilmer St. in Sulphur Springs.
While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, HCSO and the DEA are doing their part to further reduce drug-related violence.
Intravenous solutions, injectable items, and syringes will not be accepted April 30 due to potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens.
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church To Celebrate 150 Years May 1
KSST Owners Challenge Community To Match Donation To Help Raise Needed Funds To Restore Stain Glass Windows
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church this Sunday will celebrate a big milestone – the church’s 150th anniversary as a mission in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Bishop Fraser Lawton of the Church of St. Dunstan in Mineola, who is also the assisting bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, will be joining the festivities. All are invited for a catered picnic immediately following the 11 a.m. worship service at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
The church currently is 50 members strong, and is located at 1206 College Street, with Mother Cynthia Moore as priest. That hasn’t always been the case, however. When St. Philip’s mission first began in the early 1870s,there were 11 registered members.
St. Philip’s History
Episcopal missionaries are known to have preached in Sulphur Springs as far back as the 1860s. In 1864, Sulphur Springs was added to the list of Mission Stations in Northern Texas and the Diocese of Dallas.
The church which would eventually become St. Philips wasn’t officially founded until 1872, following Bishop Alexander Gregg and Father Francis R. Starr and Edwin A Wagner’s visit to the community to make arrangements for baptisms and confirmations for future services to be conducted by Father Starr. At that time, St. Philip was recognized as a mission. Bishop Alexander Charlese Garrett, an elderly man, was the only presiding bishop of the American communion.
From 1864 to 1875, there were long periods when there were no regular services until Bishop Garrett visited.
In 1875, approximately 1,200 people lived in Sulphur Springs, including 11 Episcopal communicants in the Episcopal Church. The first be baptized and confirmed in the church was Emma Gilbert. The small Episcopal congregation worshiped in the Presbyterian Church building for more than 20 years before land was donated to construct a church on.
The first known use of St. Philip’s in connection with the church was a 1886 edition of the Conventional Journal of Northeast Texas. Bishop W. Gregg, a missionary bishop who visited people along the route and conducted services when asked to do so.
The first church was located at 400 Houston Street in Sulphur Springs on land given in 1887 by CM and Nancy Houston. Church trustees CB Stephenson, JK Milam and SL Gilbert accepted the land and conveyed it to Bishop Garrett for the Episcopal Missionary District of Northern Texas, with the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas becoming land owner. St. Philip’s church, constructed from 1895 and 1900 by a local carpenter, was 53 feet long and 21 feet wide, with a vaulted ceiling.
In 1917, wings were added to extend the building to make room for an organ and choir. Stained-glass windows replaced clear glass windows. In the early 1900s stained glass memorial windows were installed at St. Philip’s.
A second addition which included a parish hall with an office, small kitchen, central meeting room, seven Sunday school rooms, two powder rooms and a hall was installed between July 9, 1950 to Nov. 23, 1952, while Father Grover McElyea served as St. Philip’s priest. An alter rail was given to St. Philip’s by the Church of the Holy Cross of Paris. Father McElyea and his wife performed most of the work installing the floor annex and altar rail. Funding for the project was donated anonymously at the time by Howard Hicks.
St. Philip’s hosted Cub Scouts, Explorers and Boy Scout groups. The women’s organization created birthday calendars as annual fundraisers.
Father Bill R. Boyd was ordained in 1970 and became rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mineral Wells. Boyd is the only parishioner of St. Philip’s known to have entered professional religious service.
In 1976, Hopkins County Historical Commission went about having the structure declared a recorded Texas Historical Landmark. At that time, the building was reported to be one of the oldest church structures in continual use in Sulphur Springs.
Father Charles L. Henry as vicar became the first priest assigned fulltime to St. Philip’s. During his time as vicar, 75 members were baptized.
For about 100 years, the Houston Street church served the community well. Thanks to a generous donation from the McKenzie family, anonymously at the time, a new granite church was built at 1206 College Street. Many of the furnishings were used in the new building, including the stained glass windows and altar rail. Additional new stained glass windows were orders for the chapel to as closely as possible mirror the original windows. In May of 1991, the new College Street Church was consecrated.
In September of 1991, the Houston Street building was deconsecrated and secularized in a special Sunday afternoon service. Hopkins County Historical Society in the 1990s moved the original church to Heritage Park, where the cross-shaped building remains today. Stained glass windows depicting Texas flowers were installed in the old church building to replace the ones relocated to the College Street church building.
For the past 30 years have been very active ones for the Sulphur Springs Church, some of which have included introduction of or participation of members in Chimes and Choral Choir, an Altar Guild, lay ministries, children’s church and activities, adult group activities, Fundraising and Hospitality, Communications Committee, Back Packs for Kids, a craft ministry, Daughter of the King, Dinner Bel, Loan Investment Club, Church maintenance and first responder appreciation events.
From 2019-2020, St. Philip’s, St. Mark Church in Mount Pleasant, St. William Laud in Pittsburg and St. Francis in Winnsboro Northeast Texas in the Diocese of Dallas formed The Affiliated Parishes of Northeast Texas. All APNET churches are under the direction of the Rt. Rev. Fraser Lawton of the Church of St. Dunstan in Mineola and also assisting bishop of the Diocese of Dallas. The group works together for the “mutual flourishing of one another’s mission to tell others about Jesus for the glory of God.
COVID-19 hampered activities of the church for a few years, but the church has begun and will continue to ramp up activities.
Mother Cynthia Moore began serving as St. Philip’s and St. Mark’s priest on Nov. 29, the start of her ministry in Texas. Mother Cynthia is originally from Connecticut, but has spent the the past 25 years ministering in Chicago and Northern Indiana.
Stained Glass Windows
The stained glass windows at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church have a special history of their own, but are in need of some restoration and repair to restore them to their former splendor.
The nine windows in the main sanctuary were removed from the Houston Street building and installed in the current College Street facility. The church commissioned two additional stained glass windows to as closely as possible match the 100 year old windows for the new chapel.
A memorial stained glass window was installed in 1917 over the altar of the church when it was constructed to honor William B. Arthur, an 18-year-old who sponsored six baptisms in the six months before his death in July 1901. Arthur is reported in one ledger to have accidently shot himself with a rifle and is buried in City Cemetery.
Later, stained glass windows were installed on either side of Arthur’s, in memory of Louis H Gould and WR Patrick, who were instrumental in seeing Arthur recognized. Early ledger records showed Patrick as being a mover and shaker in the church. Gould and his wife were very active in the work of St. Philips in the 1920s. Gould’s 88-year-old father-in-law in 1920 was an Episcopal priest who lived with them during the 1920 census.
Three larger-than-life-sized stained glass windows adorn the foyer leading into the sanctuary.
Stained glass of St. Nicholas, in St. Philips foyer, given in memory of Paul R. Brady 
Stained glass of St. Philip, in St. Philip’s Episcopal Church foyer, given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Blackburne 
Stained glass of St. Christopher, in St. Philip’s foyer, given in memory of the Mr. and Mrs. TB “Tommy” Blackburne
A stained-glass window of St. Philip was installed in memory of Geoffrey and Poppie Blackburne, who were both born in England, but were instrumental in the life of the early life of St. Philip’s. Geoffrey lived from 1888 to 1953 and Poppie from 1890 to 974. The Blackburnes are buried in the Sulphur Springs City Cemetery.
A stained-glass window of St. Christopher was given in memory of Geoffrey Blackburne’s son. Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Blackburne reportedly loved to travel.
A stained-glass of St. Nicholas was installed in memory of Mr. Paul Brady, who lived from 924 to 1990. St. Nicholas was chosen in honor of Brady’s portrayal of Santa Claus each Christmas, who visited the children of St. Philip’s in their homes. He was also reported to have been very active at St. Philip’s as Junior Warden.
A small stained-glass window behind the altar in the chapel was given in honor of Mr. A. W. McAfee. Almost all information on McAfee was lost. Someone who previously attended St. Philips remembered a widow woman named McAfee married a member of St. Philips. Using Ancestry.com, St. Philp’s church historian Nancy Pool was able to connect the widow to the brother of her first husband. Only one of the brothers was in the Episcopal Church; the other was very active in the Baptist church.
Three small stained-glass windows also grace the back wall behind the altar in the main sanctuary.
St. Philip’s recently hosted a pancake fundraiser, but are still looking for funds to complete the cost of restoring and repairing the stained glass windows.
KSST owners Chad and Rhonda Young this week donated $1,500 toward the project and challenge others to match the donation by $50, $100 or even a full match. Chad said the church is special to him and his family. He spent a lot of his formative years in St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. The Houston Street building is where he was baptized, confirmed.
Anyone who would like to meet the challenge may drop off donations at KSST Studios at 717 East Shannon Road or at St. Philip’s, 1206 College St. on the 150th celebration Sunday, April 30, 2022. All are invited to attend the service, then to enjoy the free barbecue meal afterwards.
Lady Cats Golf Wraps Up Season at Regional Championship, Finishing Ninth
Coach Whitney Spigener and her squad wrapped up their spring season last week at the 5A Region 2 championship, finishing ninth.
Sulphur Springs shot 403/392 over the two day regional golf championship.
The Lady Cats golf coach said it was awesome her team to break 400 in Rockwall.
Freshman McKenna Meskimen shot 94/91 over the two day tournament. Meskimen tied for 34th in the 5A Region 2 golf championship.
The freshman doubled on her last hole to shoot 91 on day two.
Coach Spigener said that the freshman knew she had to have a big day two to advance but a tough hole 18, one which is long par-5, saw the downfall of many athletes in the regional championship. The Lady Cats golf coach said in spite of not moving on to the state championship for 5A, her performance was nothing to hang her head on.
“We’re very proud of how she did in her first Regional tournament,” Coach Spigener said.
Junior Mykylie Meador, one of the few Lady Cats returning from last year’s squad, finished 49th in a pack of 93 golfers at the 5A Region 2 tournament.
Brylie Brock got 54th last week, with freshmen Allison Thomas and Kenzie Posey tying for 55th place at the 5A Regional 2 golf championship.
“We were all right there in the middle of the pack,” Coach Spigener said, “[which] is a good look for us going into 4A next year. We looked at some of the regional scores and I think we’re going to be a fierce competitor moving down to 4A.”
Lady Cats golf in round one took on some lofty competition in Lovejoy, (Frisco) Lebanon Trail, and Highland Park’s second team.
Lebanon Trail qualified for state both last year and this season, with Lovejoy and Highland Park’s second team always in contention for state as well.
Sulphur Springs finished just one stroke out of eighth place, coming in at ninth at the Regional tournament.
“My goal personally was eighth, [and] we were only one stroke out of eighth place,” Coach Spigener said. “That was an awesome experience to see… that [the Lady Cats] weren’t the best out of the four, [but] to see how they handled themselves on the course and not letting the pressure get to them… that was exciting to see that we were able to hold our own in our first Regional tournament in 10 years.”
The Lady Cats golf coach said she was proud of her team’s performance, one which is so young.
“We were all right there in the middle of the pack,” Coach Spigener said, “[which] is a good look for us going into 4A next year. We looked at some of the regional scores and I think we’re going to be a fierce competitor moving down to 4A.”
Lady Cats golf returns several players, three of which are currently freshmen.
Add in the fact that she said her young team got the Regional nerves out of their system, next year, Coach Whitney Spigener and her program will be an even bigger force to be reckoned with.
For now though, Lady Cats golf takes a bit of a breather before locking in for summer tournaments and summer strength & speed programs for Sulphur Springs sports.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Friday Game Day Has Three Teams on Deck, All in Big Contests
Friday, Apr. 29 has baseball, softball, and track and field all competing in big competitions.
Track and field competes today in the 5A Region-II championship relays held at UT Arlington.
Track and field sends seven athletes; four Lady Cats and three Wildcats representing Sulphur Springs at the 5A Region II championship.
Coach Ross Hicks has Claire Bybee and Jaycee Jasmer competing in pole vault. Another field event, discuss, has Jayden Holly representing the Lady Cats. Haylee Schultz is the lone athlete from Sulphur Springs to qualify for a running event at the regional championship relays.
Bull Turner competes in long jump, Weston Fields qualified in the high jump event, and Ty Bybee pole vaults Friday at the championship relays.
After competing Friday at the 5A Region-II relays, those who finish high enough move on to the 5A state meet.
The 5A State Championship for track and field runs May 13-14 at Mike A. Myers Stadium located at the University of Texas at Austin.
Friday, Apr. 29 is a big day for baseball and softball.
Lady Cats softball plays in game two of their Bi-District series in Whitehouse.
Coach David Carrillo’s team used a big 5th inning to propel themselves to a 3-0 victory in game one. Wednesday’s win in the opening game of Bi-District gave Sulphur Springs a 22-2-2 record.
Lady Cats softball no doubt looks to rely on the solid arm of Crimson Bryant to lead them to the second round of playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Game two of the Bi-District series for Sulphur Springs tees off at 6:30 P.M. in Whitehouse on Friday, Apr. 29.
Friday’s playoff match in Whitehouse will be broadcasted onto KSST 1230 AM.
If Lady Cats softball falls in Whitehouse Friday, game three is back in Sulphur Springs Saturday, Apr. 30 at 2 P.M.
Wildcats baseball has a tough test ahead of them Friday. Sulphur Springs (4-7, fifth in 15-5A) travels to Longview to take on the Lobos (5-6, fourth in 15-5A).
If Coach Jerrod Hammack’s squad beats the Lobos in Longview on Friday, Apr. 29, the Wildcats would then tie the Lobos for fourth place. Thereby, the two schools would have to play each other again to determine who would make the postseason as the fourth seed from District 15-5A.
If Wildcats baseball falls in Longview in their regular season finale, Sulphur Springs would end up two games ahead of the Wildcats, thus missing out on the postseason for the second straight year.
Friday’s regular season-finale in Longview is win-or-go-home for Coach Jerrod Hammack’s team.
The duel for the fourth seed with the Lobos tees off on Friday, Apr. 29 at 7 P.M.
Sulphur Springs lost their senior night game to Hallsville Tuesday, 14-1 and look to rebound by getting a win and a shot at the postseason.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
5 Miller Grove Students Advancing To State Academic UIL Speech Contest
Five Miller Grove students are advancing to the Texas State Academic UIL Speech Contests next month, based on their individual scores at the Region UIL Tournament in Waxahachie, and one team also earned first place ranking.
Thirteen Miller Grove High School students competed Saturday, April 21, 2022, in the Regional Academic UIL tournament and came home with seven individual awards and had one team earn first place ranking.
Lainey Burnett won first place honors and Gabe Hayden second place honors in Poetry, qualifying both to compete at the state contest.
Aleah Sotelo also qualified to compete at state by earning third place honors in prose at region.
In Lincoln Douglas Debate, Jagger Qualls won third place honors, Kavan Smith placed fourth and Nathan Fauth fifth. Qualls advances to state and Smith is an alternate. Smith also placed fifth in Persuasive Speaking.
Hannah Nalls placed fifth in Ready Writing.
Contributing to the Miller Grove Hornet Academic UIL speech team’s overall first place ranking were Jagger Qualls, Kavan Smith, Nathan Fauth, Addison Stanton, Aleah Sotelo, Lainy Burnett, Gabe Hayden, Avery McInvale, and Lance Davis.
Also representing MGISD at the regional contest were Jacob George, Katie Cotts and Maddison Hernandez,
Congratulations to these students on their UIL achievements, and good luck to the students who will compete in Austin at the State Speech UIL meet May 24-25.
Summer Terms at the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Center
SIGNING UP
Stephen Harris of Yantis begins his enrollment process for the summer terms at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus with Office Manager Dana Smock. For information about enrollment for summer and fall call 903-885-1232.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Traffic Stop Nets $8,000, Messages Related To Human Trafficking,1 Arrest
Deputies arrested a Garland man Wednesday night on a money laundering charge, after a search revealed more than $8,000 in cash and social media notifications related to human trafficking or smuggling on his phone, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Josh Davis and Bobby Osornio reported stopping a Ford F150 pickup at 7:56 p.m. April 27, 2022, for speeding and following too close to another vehicle on Interstate 30 west at mile marker 130. While speaking with the driver, one of the deputies reported seeing on the front seat a six pack with one beer missing and in the front floorboard a bundle of 50-dollar bills sticking out of a fanny pack.
He asked the man to step out of the truck and talk to him. While doing so, the deputy observed what he noted in arrest reports to be numerous signs of deception and nervous behavior. The driver agreed to let the deputy search the truck. He found about $8,000 in US currency in the fanny pack. The man also had more than $500 on him as well.
When asked, the man agreed to let the deputies look at his phone. Numerous notifications from social media groups that were related to human trafficking or the smuggling of people, Davis alleged in arrest reports. He claimed his brother provided him with the currency to purchase appliances for his resale company, which he named, Davis alleged in arrest reports. One of the deputies conducted a Goggle search but found no information that the alleged company existed anywhere in Texas.
The pickup also had a fictitious temporary tag inside, which the driver claimed he’d purchased in Houston, and could not provide any proof as to the origin of the cash. That, coupled with the human smuggling information on the phone, resulted in the deputy taking Pedro Garcia-Alarcon into custody at 10:12 p.m. April 27, 2022
The 30-year-old Garland man was booked into Hopkins County jail at 1:51 a.m. Thursday, April 28, 2022, on a charge for money laundering. The cash was counted and totaled more than $8,500, according to jail reports. Garcia-Alarcon remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday afternoon, April 28, 2022, on the felony charge, according to jail reports.
