News Blotter
Sheriff Clint Hammonds reported on criminal cases that had been previously investigated by his office that resulted in court actions. On May 18, 2016 Denny Beach pled guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle before 35th District Judge Stephen Ellis. Beach was sentenced to 1 year in State Jail for his part in the offense. The charge stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on May 11, 2015 involving the theft of 2 vehicles and a firearm from a local business. During the investigation multiple suspects were identified and arrested as well.
On May 24th and 25th, District Judge Stephen Ellis empaneled a jury to hear the case of 46 year old Sidney Alex Work of Bastrop, Texas. Work was arrested and charged previously for possession of a controlled substance in a drug free zone and tampering with evidence. The jury deliberation returned a guilty verdict and on June 1st Judge Stephen Ellis sentenced Work to six years for possession of a controlled substance and 2 years for tampering with evidence. Work filed an appeal and is currently free on an appeal bond until the case is reviewed by the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals.
In other news Sheriff Hammonds stated that on May 30, 2016, Deputy Johnny Brown conducted a traffic stop on US 183 south resulting in the arrest of two Salt Lake City, Utah residents. The individuals were identified as 42 year old Julee Elaine Bird and Shannon Doyle Bird. A consent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded .45 caliber pistol and a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle. Julee was charged with unlawful carrying weapon and Shannon was charged with unlawful possession of firearm by a felon.
On June 3, 2016, 40 year old Brandy Dang Free of San Saba, Texas was arrested on a warrant for burglary of a building and on June 4, co-defendant 41 year old Marty Ray Crawford also of San Saba, Texas was arrested for the same offense. This charge is a result of an investigation conducted by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office into the burglary of some storage units in Goldthwaite back in March of 2016. Deputies were able to identify the suspects and recover property taken in the burglaries. Free has since posted bond and Crawford is currently in custody being housed in the Comanche County Jail.
Sheriff Clint Hammonds reports that another crime stoppers tip has led to the arrest of two Goldthwaite residents for possession of methamphetamine. Sheriff Hammonds stated that on Thursday, April 21, 2016, Deputies Johnny Brown and Rick Pickard went to residence located on Farm Road 575 to follow up on a Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers Tip. Deputies made contact with and identified the occupants of the residence as 47 year old Jimmy Wilson Spurlock Jr. and 45 year old Tabby Soto Day. Mr. Spurlock had an outstanding warrant out of Henderson County, Texas. During the service of the warrant deputies were given consent to search the residence and vehicles at the home. A search revealed that both of individuals were in violation of approximately 21 controlled substance violations and a small amount of methamphetamine was recovered from a vehicle at the residence. Spurlock and Day were both charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance PG1 (Methamphetamine) a state jail felony and 21 counts of various possession of controlled substance violations. The two remain in custody with bonds totaling over $100,000 each.
The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has recently been following up on Crime Stopper tips in regards to the distribution of methamphetamine in Goldthwaite. Sheriff Clint Hammonds reported that on Monday, April 11, 2016, Mills County Law Enforcement stopped a stolen vehicle from Lubbock, TX leaving a suspected drug house at 1701 Cline Street next to the Goldthwaite Elementary School. The driver 27 year old Christopher Mantia and his 27 year old wife Brenda both of Goldthwaite were arrested for felony Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. During the course of this investigation Mills County Officials later went to the residence on Cline Street and met with the resident 23 year old Chris Michael Hoffman of Goldthwaite. Deputies were granted permission to search the residence and recovered approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine and a gun from inside the house. Hoffman was arrested and charged with First Degree Felony Possession of Methamphetamine in a Drug Free Zone and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon. Shortly after the arrest Mills County Sheriff’s Officers went to a residence located at 802 Parker Street to serve felony warrants on 50 Year old Sammy Don Walls and 42 year old Stacie Michelle Walls for charges stemming from theft of a firearm in Van Zant County, Texas. During the arrest authorities obtained consent to search the residence and recovered approximately half gram of methamphetamine. Sammy was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine in a Drug Free Zone due to the residence location to the City Park. Stacie was arrested for the warrant only at the time. Sheriff Hammonds commended the work of his staff “my deputies worked tirelessly on these cases to connect the persons involved in this distribution network of illegal drug activity in our community”. “I am extremely excited that we were able to knock down a drug house sitting right next to our elementary school” Sheriff Hammonds said. Sheriff Hammonds stated that his deputies have dedicated a lot of hours of effort and time from their families to make this impact in our community. Deputies Johnny Brown, James Purcell, Inv. Stephanie Brown and Chief Deputy Green are to be commended for their work on this case. Sheriff Hammonds also stated “I want to make sure that everyone knows the deputies are not the only ones in this fight”. “I want to send out a big public Thank You to my jail staff Melissa Womack, Deby Grba and Amy King who came in early and stayed late until all defendants were booked in”. “Jail staff are sometimes forgotten and they are an important part of the criminal justice process” said Sheriff Hammonds. Sheriff Hammonds stated that the Crime Stopper Tip was very valuable and it paid off for the community as well as the tipster who will be receiving a cash reward for their information. If you have any information about any crimes remember to submit your tips to the Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers @ 800-222-TIPS or visit our website and follow the link to the Crime Stoppers.
On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at approximately 3:35 PM, Trooper Owens conducted a traffic stop on US 183 south of Goldthwaite. 18 year old Mathew Elliott Rowe of Houston, Texas was arrested for felony possession of hash, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Rowe is currently free on bond at this time.
Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies provided security for the annual Melody Oaks Ranch Festival in Priddy during the first weekend of April. As a result 41 year old David Wayne Bolton of Hamilton, Texas was arrested Saturday, April 2, 2016 for the offense of public intoxication. Shortly afterwards another subject from Hamilton, Texas identified as 21 year old Max Landon Lowery was arrested for disorderly conduct. Both subjects were placed in the Mills County Jail where they were released the next day.
