CEDAR CREEK LAKE—Former Payne Springs Police Chief, April Dawn Meadows, 39, of Mabank, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for delivery of a controlled substance with a two-year concurrent sentence for money laundering Aug. 27.
According to Henderson County Court and Judicial records, Meadows pleaded guilty without a deal in June, which waived her right to appeal. 
After a 2023 tip revealed Meadows and reserve officer Jonathan Paul Hutchison had been dealing drugs previously seized by the Payne Springs Police Department, Meadows was arrested. At the time of the 2023 arrest, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse told The Monitor that, “his office has been investigating allegations that the pair was dealing drugs that had been seized by the Payne Springs Police Department.” An additional search warrant was executed at the impound yard of the police department. 
Jonathan Paul Hutchison received a 20-year sentence Aug. 14.