News Blotter

On Friday, April 1, 2016, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Wheeler conducted a traffic stop on US 183 south of Goldthwaite. During the stop Trooper Wheeler Arrested 27 year old Thomas Edward Morris of Brownwood, Texas for Felony possession of a controlled substance, unlawful carrying of weapon and possession of marijuana. Morris is currently free on bond pending case presentation to the Grand Jury.

Sheriff Clint Hammonds reported numerous arrests recently beginning with 32 year old Denny Beach of Killeen, Texas. Beach had previously been arrested for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in 2015 after the vehicle had been taken from a local business. Beach was arrested Thursday, March 31, 2016 for fail to appear in 35^th District Court for charges stemming from the 2015 arrest. Beach is still currently in custody of the Mills County Sheriff and is being housed in Comanche County.

On Wednesday, March 16, 2013, at approximately 3:30 PM, Deputy Johnny Brown stopped a driver of a rental car on Fisher street by the Goldthwaite City Park for speeding. The driver was identified as 43 year old Christopher Elliott of Lago Vista, Texas. During the stop Deputy Brown became suspicious of Elliott and asked for consent to search the vehicle. Elliott granted permission to search and Deputy Brown found a large duffle bag in the trunk of the car containing a larger amount of marijuana. Elliott was immediately placed under arrest and transported to the Mills County Jail. The marijuana weighed in at approximately 26.5 pounds with a street value of $160,828. The investigation has led us to believe that the marijuana was picked up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was headed to Lago Vista, Texas. Elliot was charged with felony possession of marijuana in a drug free zone due to the relation of the City Park. Elliott has since been released on bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has been steadily working thefts and burglaries throughout the county. Deputies are still recovering stolen property from recent burglaries as well as taken on new cases. On Monday, February 15 ,2016, Mills County Deputies took a report of theft of two children’s four wheelers being stolen from a residence in Goldthwaite. During the course of the investigation it discovered that a familiar face had evolved once again. 31 year old Michael Ynostrosa who owns and operates a local tree trimming service had been at the residence with his employees prior to the four wheelers being stolen. Ynostrosa had been previously arrested  for possession of methamphetamine and a weapon near the Goldthwaite Middle School. Deputies worked diligently on the theft case and on Tuesday, March 1, 2015, Chief Deputy Chris Green and Investigator Stephanie Brown recovered the two four wheelers from Ynostrosa’s mother’s residence in Brownwood, Texas. At this time Theft charges are pending against Ynostrosa and his mother who has also been identified. Sheriff Hammonds is cautioning the citizens that have in the past or are considering using Ynostrosa in the future for tree services to be sure and secure your belongings and residence.

Sheriff Hammonds along with a local business owner wanted the citizens to be aware of another theft issue affecting residents. Sheriff Hammonds reported that in mid-February several local citizens had been reporting to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office of unapproved purchases on credit cards in the Killeen and Austin area. For several weeks deputies took in reports and were able to determine that most of the victims had made purchases at local businesses. Investigators began meeting with some of the local gas stations and warning them of a possible credit card breach. During their research a credit card skimmer was located that had been placed on a single fuel pump outside of a local business. It was determined that the device had been there for less than 48 hours before being discovered by the business owner. Sheriff Hammonds stated that the device is not very sophisticated and can be purchased online. Once the device is installed it has Blue Tooth technology that allows the suspects to just drive near the area to download the information without detection or affecting the normal transactions. “During our investigation we learned that this is a new trend of criminal activity that spans from the east and west coast and unfortunately they found Goldthwaite” Sheriff Hammonds said. Sheriff Hammonds wants to remind citizens to routinely check your banking accounts to ensure that they don’t fall victim and lose their hard earned money. For more information regarding credit card skimmers like this one please go to the following website: http://blogs.cisco.com/security/card_skimmers_using_bluetooth_demonstrate_security_challenges_for_borderles

Clint Hammonds

Sheriff Clint Hammonds reports that criminal activity has been steady in the area resulting in numerous local drug arrest and burglaries. Sheriff Hammonds reported that On January 8, 2016 at approximately 11:03 PM, Deputies responded to a report of disturbance in the 1700 block of Cline Street. As a result 22 year old Jorge Armando Melgoza of Goldthwaite was arrested for Assault and transported to the county jail where he was released on bond the next day.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at approximately 2:45 Mills County Deputies Johnny Brown and Stephanie Brown were patrolling the area of County Road 510 when they located a pickup parked in the road. Deputy Johnny Brown approached the vehicle and the driver pulled away. Deputies pursued after the vehicle and witnessed an occupant discard an item out of the window. Deputy Johnny Brown stopped to retrieve the item while Inv. Stephanie Brown  stopped the driver of the vehicle. The occupants were identified as 18 year old Branden Wayne Horton (driver) and his father 40 year old Bradley Ryan Horton (passenger). After investigating it was found the item thrown from the vehicle that was recovered was methamphetamine. Both individuals admitted that they were about to smoke methamphetamine before being discovered by Mills County Deputies. Both individuals were taken into custody and placed in the Mills County Jail. Braden Horton is currently being held in Burnett County for 1. Possession of a controlled Substance less than 1 gram, 2. Evading Arrest with a vehicle, 3. Brown County Warrant for Motion to Adjudicate for possession of Marijuana, 4. Tamper with Evidence. The father Bradley Horton is currently in Mills County Jail for 1. Possession of a Controlled Substance less that one gram, 2. Young County Warrant for Possession of a controlled substance less than one gram.

As a result of these recent drug arrests Mills County Sheriff’s Office has been able to clear the theft and recovery of 2 four wheelers and solve several burglaries that occurred during mid-January. On January 25, 2016 Mills County Deputies were able to recover a 1997 Polaris that had been stolen for some time ago from a ranch on County Road 549.  The owner of the Polaris was unaware that it had been stolen. The Polaris was seized from a residence in Mullin along with an item stolen in a burglary of the Mills County Precinct 3 barn in Mullin. Then on February 6, 2016, Mills County Deputies went to Lampasas County and recovered a 2013 Honda ATV stolen from a ranch on County Road 506 and a gas compressor that had been taken from Mills County Precinct 3. Mills County Deputies recovered just under $15,000 worth of stolen items during their investigative efforts. Sheriff Hammonds stated “this is another fine example of persistent and professional work that my deputies showed during the course of the investigation”.

On Monday, January 25, 2016, Deputy Johnny Brown stopped a vehicle at Second and Fisher in Goldthwaite for a traffic offense. During the stop it was discovered that 29 year old female passenger Amber Lynn Hester was wanted out of Hardin County, Texas for a probation violation for driving while intoxicated.

On Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at approximately 7:30 PM, Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 1300 Block of Trent Street. Deputies arrived and a male identified as 31 year old Michael Ynostrosa was in the process of leaving the home. Deputies could smell a strong odor of marijuana emitting from Ynostrosa’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a 9mm pistol, 5.45 grams of methamphetamine and 21.37 grams of marijuana. Ynostrosa was arrested for 1. Manufature/Delivery of a Controlled Substance in a Drug Free Zone, 2. Possession of Marijuana in a Drug Free Zone, 3. Unlawful Carrying of a weapon and 4. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Sheriff Hammonds stated the drug free zone enhancements were a result of the residence being located just blocks away from the Goldthwaite Middle and High Schools. Ynostrosa is currently free on bond.

On Friday, February 5, 2016 at approximately 10:25 AM 72 year old Michael David Holley of Mullin turned himself into the Mills County Jail after being indicted for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. Holley had been previously arrested in 2015 for possession of child pornography. Holley is currently free on $50, 000 bond for the new offense.

Sheriff Hammonds reported numerous other arrests in the county such driving while intoxicated that were conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety Tropopers.