KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PITTSBURG – Earlier this week, an environmental group claimed that Pilgrim’s Pride is one of the biggest water polluters in Texas. According to Environment Texas, the two chicken processing plants operated by Pilgrim’s Pride and Sanderson Farms are responsible for 20 per cent of the state’s water pollution. Now East Texas-based Pilgrim’s Pride says that’s not true. A spokesman for the company tells KETK any sort of water waste discharge is closely monitored and meets Texas environmental standards.

TYLER — A teen accused of fatally stabbing a Tyler teacher will undergo more psychological tests. Byron Truvia’s attorney, Jim Huggler, says Truvia will be sent back to Vernon State Hospital as early as next week. The incident took place in September of 2009 inside a classroom at John Tyler High School. The victim was Todd Henry (pictured).

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating the robbery of three residents of the Varsity Place Apartments, 3400 Varsity Drive. It happened just before 8:00 Thursday night. The men told officers there was a knock at the door and when one of the men said, “Come in,” two black men entered. One pulled a small handgun and demanded the victims’ wallets, cell phones and electronic gaming system and games. After getting the items, they fled the apartment. According to Sgt. Robert Phillips, no injuries were reported.

TYLER — Tyler dentist Charles Robinson, who is accused of secretly videotaping a 40-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter for the past 3 years, is being sued by the victims. Their lawyer says the women are suffering physical as well as mental distress.

The lawsuit says that the “Plaintiffs seek unliquidated damages…for physical pain and suffering in the past and future, emotional pain and mental anguish in the past and future, lost wages and wage earning capacity and medical expenses…necessary for the treatment of such injuries and mental scars which in all responsible probability will be incurred by and on behalf of the plaintiff’s in the future.”

Sheriff J.B. Smith says cameras were found inside the woman’s home. They say they were focused in both the bedrooms and bathrooms of the woman and her daughter, who rented from Robinson. Robinson has been charged with possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony, and improper visual recording, which is a state jail felony. His bonds total $250,000.

TYLER – Numerous awards were handed out Thursday night when the Smith County Sheriff’s Department held its 8th annual banquet. This will be the final one headed up by Sheriff J.B. Smith, who has announced his retirement. Among those honored last night:
*Officer of the Year – Jeff Hobson
*Plain Clothes Officer of the Year – Clint Benson
*Rookie of the Year – Theresa Smith
*Civilian Employee of the Year – Hattie Boyd
*Dispatcher of the Year – Christy Parks

CANTON — Two persons have been arrested in connection with arson and burglaries that occurred November 27th Van Zandt County Road 2314. Based upon a Crimestoppers tip, authorities were able to get a burglary of a habitation warrant.

With the assistance of family members, Chad Eric Darby, 35, turned himself in at the Van Zandt County Justice Center. A 13 year old Juvenile was arrested at a residence in Kemp in connection with the series of burglaries and is currently being housed at the Van Zandt County Juvenile Detention Center. The Investigators recovered over $50,000 of electronics, jewelry, firearms, tools and other miscellaneous items from two separate residences located in Kemp and Van Zandt County. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office believes the recovered items will also result in solving other burglaries in the area.

TYLER — An Award of Appreciation has been presented to A Peete Elementary student whose actions saved his family’s lives. It was LaKeith Coble, 8, who woke his mother to let her know their house was on fire. The fire was reported around 3:30 last Sunday morning in the 1800 block of West Jackson Street. Investigators determined the cause of the fire was a faulty space heater. The home did not have smoke detectors so the youngsters’ quick actions can be credited with saving his family.

TYLER – Officials say two Mexican nationals residing illegally in Tyler were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Jose Francisco Moreno, 23, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2010, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Armando Velazquez-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2010, to the same charge and was sentenced to 120 months behind bars. Each man was also ordered to submit to a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $10,000.

According to information presented in court, on Nov. 2, 2009, Moreno and Velazquez-Castro were arrested and found to be possession of 4 ounces of methamphetamine, which they intended to sell to others in the Tyler area. Further investigation revealed that the men were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Moreno and Velazquez-Castro were indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 6, 2010 and charged with federal drug trafficking violations. It was also determined that the defendants are illegally in the United States. They will both be deported to Mexico after completing their prison sentences.

TYLER – A 61-year-old Smith County man, formerly of Arkansas, has been sentenced to federal prison for bank robbery in the Eastern District of Texas. Eddie Ray Myers pleaded guilty on Sep. 7, 2010, to bank robbery and was sentenced Thursday in Tyler to 46 months in federal prison. Myers was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,630.00. According to information presented in court, on July 14, 2010, Myers entered the lobby of the BBVA Compass Bank on South Broadway in Tyler and handed the teller a note stating, “No alarms – no dye packs, All the money in the sack I have a gun.” Myers was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 4, 2010, and charged with bank robbery.

TYLER — Tyler Police, Fire and EMS had their hands full when they responded to the 1000 block of West Gentry around 1:20 p.m. Thursday on a roll-over crash involving two vehicles. Megan Butler, age 18, of Marshall, was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer that was also occupied by her mother, Kelly Butler, age 39. Megan Butler had just turned west onto W. Gentry from N. Grand when she was struck in the passenger side by a 2000 Buick Century driven by Jimmie Pierce, age 70, of Athens. Pierce had pulled out from a private drive heading east when he struck Butler’s vehicle in the westbound traffic lanes.

Megan Butler suffered minor injuries, and her mother was transported to East Texas Medical Center for non- life threatening injuries after being extracted out of the windshield by Tyler firefighters. Pierce was not injured from the crash and was cited for failing to yield the right of way from a private drive. Megan Butler was issued a citation for no insurance.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are still looking for a suspect in a November 24th aggravated assault. The assault took place on Sidney Street in Longview. Witnesses say 30-year-old Daniel Bradley fired several shots at his ex-girlfriend and her children. Nineteen year-old Alonzo Edwards was twice shot in the left arm and taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Police continue to look for Bradley in connection with this shooting. They say Daniel Bradley should be considered armed and dangerous.

Bradley’s last known address was 808 Edith Street in Longview. He is approximately 5’7″, weighs 170 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Daniel Sharome Bradley should contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com or 903-236-STOP. A reward of up to $1000.00 may be paid for information leading to Bradley’s arrest.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are asking for anyone with information on the suspect vehicle that struck and killed Tracey Turk to call the police department. Ms. Turk was struck and killed on November, 14, 2010, by an unknown driver of a light colored Mercury Grand Marquis, possibly a 1992-1993 model. The vehicle probably has damage to the front, right headlight area. If anyone has any information regarding someone trying to buy parts for the front of this type of vehicle they are also encouraged to call the police.

Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of the vehicle or its driver should contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com or 903-236-STOP. A reward of up to $1000.00 may be paid for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for this crime.

TYLER (Staff/AP) – It’s been a busy week in Tyler federal court for cases involving methamphetamine and pseudoephedrine. In just one case. two Beckville men have been sentenced to federal prison. Randy Jess Coleman, 29, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2010, to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced Wednesday to 57 months in federal prison Wedesday. Jerry Lee Nations, 43, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2010, to the same charge and was sentenced Wednesday to 69 months behind bars.

According to information presented in court, on Dec. 27, 2008, Coleman purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Wal-Mart in Longview, and five other times that same day at other stores in the area. On Feb. 24, 2009, Nations purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Wal-Mart and CVS in Marshall, Texas. These purchases were all made in furtherance of their methamphetamine manufacturing activities. A federal grand jury returned a an indictment on Apr. 8, 2010 charging Coleman and Nations with federal drug violations.

Earlier, three people were sentenced to prison over their roles in an alleged methamphetamine manufacturing ring. A grand jury in February returned a 256-count indictment naming 44-year-old Shannon Sue Guess of Longview, 27-year-old Jeremy Kristopher Ivie of Carthage and 27-year-old Christie Rene Tull of Carthage. All three pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Guess was sentenced Wednesday to 57 months in prison. Ivie was sentenced to 70 months behind bars, while Tull received a 37-month federal prison term. Prosecutors say the cases involved the purchase of cold pills at stores in Longview, Tyler, and Henderson, plus at other retailers, with the intent of making methamphetamine.

Earlier, another man was sentenced in the 256-count case. Michael Lewis Galyean, 49, of Carthage, pleaded guilty in August to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months. Authorities say Galyean’s cold pill buys came at a Kilgore Walgreens and other locations. All the sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police take two men into custody after a reported robbery. It happened Wednesday in the 100 block of Jewel. Kevin Smith and Thurman Adams III, both 20, both of Longview, were booked into the Gregg County Jail. Authorities say both men were arrested on warrants in connection with the recent aggravated robbery of a Dominos pizza delivery man in the 600 Block of West Avalon Street on November 29. Bond for the two suspects has not been set yet.

SMITH COUNTY — A Chapel Hill School bus was rear-ended in Smith County around 4:00 Wednesday. The Department of Public Safety says it happened off Old Longview Road, 3 miles from Loop 323. Officials report that there were kids on the bus, but no one was injured. The bus was later evacuated. The teen driver of the vehicle was injured and taken to a local hospital in stable condition.