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4 held in vehicle/ID theft
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–Four individuals, including a father and son, were arrested on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and fraudulent use/possession of identifying information following a vehicle theft.
May 18, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Sgt. Thomas Goodell responded to the vehicle theft report in the Dixie Isle subdivision, Sheriff Ray Nutt reported in a news release issued May 31.
The theft victim reported the vehicle had been taken sometime overnight. While Goodell was taking the report, Malakoff Police Department officers located the vehicle abandoned in their city.
Several items of personal property were taken from the vehicle, including tools and the victim’s checkbook, Nutt reported.
During his investigation into the incident, Sheriff’s Office Investigator Kendall Wellman uncovered evidence four individuals were involved in the vehicle theft.
One suspect, Jake Smalley, 19, was arrested a few hours later, and was found to be in possession of some of the victim’s property, Nutt reported.
Deputy Brian Hall, Goodell and Malakoff officer Robert Siegmund contacted the other three suspects at a Malakoff residence. While at the residence, the officers uncovered evidence linking the three to the vehicle theft.
As the investigation continued, Wellman learned the four suspects were acting together to commit the theft and gain profit from using the victim’s identification information, Nutt reported.
After obtaining arrest warrants, Wellman, investigators Bradley Gray, Wick Gabbard and Kaylon Rollins, along with Siegmund, located and arrested Robert Russell Adams, 44, Smalley and Lesley Henderson, also 19, May 26.
Robert Russell Adams II, 19, was arrested the next day, Nutt reported.
All four were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity (a third degree felony), while the elder Adams and Smalley were also charged with fraudulent use/possession of identifying information (a state jail felony).
The elder Adams was released June 3 after posting $30,000 bond, while the younger Adams was released May 31 after posting $25,000 bond.
Smalley was released June 1 after posting $30,000 bond, while Henderson was released May 28 after posting $25,000 bond.

City orders new truck, bans smoking in park
Trash pickup to start in January, 2012
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
MABANK–The city of Mabank is going into the trash collecting business.
Also, lighting up at an organized park activity or event is prohibited.
Tuesday, the city council unanimously approved the new restriction and the order of a single-axle, EPA-compliant, diesel-powered chassis and trash compactor truck from the governmental buy board.
The city’s current trash service contract with IESI is due to expire the end of the year, utility supervisor Ronnie Tuttle told council members. It will not be renewed or sent out for bids.
Since last December, Tuttle has been researching the move, he said and he’s sure the city can deliver the service with greater satisfaction.
The lease purchase covers a five-year period with a $35,600 payment annually. The truck will be under full warranty “from tip to stern,” he said. “Any repairs, other than gas and tires, is on them.”
Currently, the city pays $108,000 annually to IESI for trash service, he said.
It will take three months to fill the truck order from two Texas manufacturers, Tuttle said.
Most likely, the city will be divided over two days (Thursdays and Fridays) for trash pickup, and the city will haul it away to Ferris, he explained.
“We feel confident we’ll give better service to our citizens then they are currently getting,” mayor Larry Teague said.
“This truck is going to be DOT (Department of Transportation) certified and meet all the new EPA standards for exhaust emissions. And because it’s a smaller truck, it won’t tear up our streets like the heavier, double-axle trucks do now,” Tuttle told The Monitor.
The city’s other trash hauler for commercial dumpsters will remain in place, he added.
The city is not planning to hire any additional personnel.
No adjustment to the budget was necessary, as this capital expense was anticipated as part of the annual expenses, Tuttle explained.
The total cost comes to $161,455, and because it comes from the buy board, no competitive bidding was necessary, as the board guarantees the lowest price, he added.
Smokers attending city park events must now refrain from lighting up or face a fine up to $500 for the Class C Misdemeanor.
This includes baseball, soccer and football fields during games and practices, as well as during activities held at the pavilion and rodeo grounds.
Signs are being ordered, and police will enforce the new ordinance – something to remember with Western Week activities coming up.
In other business, council members:
• ordered the demolition of two dilapidated buildings in the city, while three other property owners were given 30 days to present their plans for necessary repairs and bringing structures up to code.
The two to be razed are at 222 N. Kemp, and 505 W. Eubank. The owners of these properties agreed to have the city take down the structures.
The three given reprieves are at 503 S. 1st St., 201 Glenwood, which was recently purchased with a view to renovate and restore; and 227 Kemp. The latter house will be torn down after cooler weather makes it possible to empty it of personal items stored there at the owner’s request.
• established a $50 registration fee for service providers acting as Backflow Prevention Testers. Service providers must fill out an application, stating their rates and charges. This primarily relates to tests performed on sprinkler system installs and meets new requirements from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
• tabled action on a resolution authorizing a property tax abatement agreement between the city and JIT Manufacturing, Inc.
• authorized the issuance of a $20,000 line of credit from Southside Bank for city credit cards for department heads, to cover expenses associated with city business travel.

KC grand jury hands down indictments
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–Kaufman County Grand Jury members indicted Stephen Capps, 35, of attempted capital murder, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest and endangering a child.
The charges result from a Feb. 14 car chase that began with a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper who saw a car speeding on Interstate 30 near Greenville.
Supposedly the driver would not yield to the officer trying to pull it over.
The pursuit tracked along Farm-to-Market 986 and ended with troopers firing on the car, wounding Capps twice in the abdomen.
During the chase, Capps drove toward troopers while dodging a roadblock. This action prompted the attempted capital murder charge.
During the arrest, Capps was found to be in posession of controlled substances less than 4 grams.
Capps indictment was one of 35 indictments handed down May 18.
Indictment information obtained from the Kaufman County District Clerk’s office does not include ages or addresses of defendants.
Indictments were returned against:
• Delondre Brashard Roberson, manufacture/delivery of controlled substance more than 4 g less than 200 g, possession of controlled substance in a drug free zone, possession of marijuana more than 5 lbs in a drug free zone and unlawful possession of firearm by felon (all offenses March 9).
• Nathan Chance Neighbors, injury to child/elderly/disabled with intent of bodily injury (offense date Jan. 5).
• Michael Ray Bobo, deadly conduct discharge of firearm (Nov. 1, 2010).
• Michael Adams, theft more than $1,500 less than $20,000 (July 23, 2010).
• Rosalinda Vasquez, fraudulent use possession of identifying information (April 7).
• Nelson Collado, fraudulent use possession of identifying information with 50 or more items (May, 10, 2010).
• Kristopher Jon Picaso, aggravated assault of date/family/house with weapon (April 14).
• Sheila Michelle Smith, burglary of habitation (March 31).
• Robert Matthews Bolden, unlawful possession of firearm by felon (May 5).
• Dustin Alan Reid, unauthorized use of vehicle and evading arrest detention with vehicle (both offenses April 30).
• Billy Dewayne Denson, assault of family/house member to impede breath/circulation (April 4).
• Franco Martinez, burglary of habitation (Nov. 1, 2009).
• Mary Margaret Morris, credit card or debit card abuse (Feb. 19).
• Christopher Michael Rann, credit card or debit card abuse (Feb. 19).
• Johnathan Luther Lincoln, possession of marijuana more than 4 ounces (ozs) less than 5 pouns (lbs) and abandon/endanger child criminal negligence (Jan. 25).
• Roger Glen McGee, possession of controlled substance less than 1 gram (g) (Jan. 24).
• Ronnie Bannister, possession/transportation of chemical substance with intent to manufacture and evading arrest detention with vehicle (both offenses Dec. 20, 2010).
• Cameron Lee Sabella, possession of controlled substance more than 4 g less than 200 g and possession of controlled substance less than 1 g (both offenses Dec. 4, 2010), arson (Jan. 29).
• James Don Lanier, arson (Jan. 29).
• Christopher James Mitchell, possession of marijuana more than 2 oz. less than 4 oz. in a drug free zone (March 31).
• James Carroll Bednar, burglary of building (March 20).
• Rudy DeLaRosa, prohibited substance in correctional facility (March 3).
• Issac James Ross, evading arrest detention with vehicle (March 17).
• Michael Lee-Aaron Crist, burglary of habitation (March 8).
• Brandon Keith Darrow, delivery of controlled substance/marijuana to minor (Jan. 3).
• Holly Curtis Hutchins, possession of controlled substance less than 1 g (Dec. 31, 2010).
• Brandon Lee Johnson, sexual assault (July 21, 2010).
• Casey Lee Sluder, credit card or debit card abuse (July 18, 2009).
• Chad Wayne Rice, driving while intoxicated with child under 15 years of age (March 12).
• Cayetano Grajeda Molinar, driving while intoxicated, third or more offense (March 6).
• Roger Lynn Rice Jr., driving while intoxicated, third or more offense (Oct. 22, 2010).
• Kenneth Brit, driving while intoxicated, third or more offense (Aug. 30, 2010).
• Gwendolyn Johnson, driving while intoxicated, third or more offense (Jan. 11).