KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — A 63-year-old Christianburg, Virginia man has pleaded guilty to child pornography violations in East Texas. Charles Abner Richey, Jr. pleaded guilty Thursday to coercion and enticement of minors before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie. Richey faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to information presented in court, from April 19, 2011 to May 5, 2011, Richey used a computer to communicate with a minor in an attempt to engage in sexual activity. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 2, 2011, charging Richey with federal child pornography violations.

TYLER — The intersection of West Ferguson and Bois D’Arc has temporarily been converted to a three-way stop. The existing signals will be replaced with new pole foundations, poles, electronics and wiring as part of the Downtown Signal Modernization Project.

Stop signs for all three approaches have been erected on poles and these conditions are expected to continue for up to two or more weeks. Drivers are encouraged to drive safely and use caution while workers are present.

MANGUM, OKLA. (AP) — An Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent continued his testimony in the trial of a former warden’s wife accused of helping a prisoner she allegedly fell in love with escape. Agent Richard Williams testified Thursday about evidence collected from a mobile home where Bobbi Parker and Randolph Dial were found in 2005. KFOR-TV reports that the evidence consisted of letters and cards that were exchanged between the two, including a letter in which Parker wrote that the Dial may be in the last chapter of his life. Greer County prosecutors allege Parker helped Dial escape from the Oklahoma State Reformatory in 1994. Parker’s attorneys say Dial held her hostage until she was rescued at a Campti, Texas, chicken ranch, in Shelby County. Defense attorneys say the letters Parker wrote were a survival tactic.

HENDERSON — A Henderson meat processing plant has until August 15 to correct violations of city health codes or face additional fines, City Manager Mike Barrow said. Sadler’s Smokehouse on Frisco Street was cited and fined $14,000 this past week for two health code violations. One had to do with a nauseous odor emitting from the business, and the other was the unauthorized discharge of wastewater, Barrow said. “We’ll have another day in court if these problems aren’t remedied by the middle of next month,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of complaints from residents and business owners near the property about how bad the smell is.”

James Reed, president and CEO of Sadler’s, said the company is working with the city to resolve the problem and expects to meet the deadline. “We had an engineering study commissioned as soon as we became aware of the problem and will begin construction this week on rebuilding the retaining wall of the lagoon that needs to be fixed,” Reed said. Sadler’s has hired 7-H Construction of Tyler to supervise the renovations, Reed said. Total cost of bringing the plant into compliance with the city codes will be about $100,000. “We’re trying to do it better this time around than the original construction, so that we won’t have a repeat of this problem,” Reed said.

Some of the violations were discovered as the result of routine inspections by city health inspectors, while others were investigated as the result of specific complaints called into city offices, Barrow said. “This is a long-established business, and we understand its importance to the local economy, but we have environmental laws in place and they must comply the same as any other individual or business,” Barrow said. Sadler’s has been in business in Henderson since 1948. The company expanded and relocated in 1984, and opened the 300,000-square-foot processing plant on a 40-acre business site.

HENDERSON — Residents of Henderson will have a chance to vote on two alcohol-related referendums in November. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. A petition drive by the Henderson 1st Committee collected more than enough valid signatures to place the measures on the ballot, Rusk County Elections Administrator Kathie Wittner said Wednesday.

One initiative would allow the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, which would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell beer and wine but would not permit packaged liquor sales. The second would allow for the sale of mixed beverages in restaurants by food and beverage certificate holders, which would permit restaurants to serve mixed drinks without a private club license. Wittner plans on bringing the matter before the Rusk County Commissioners Court at its Aug. 8 meeting. The court must call the election.

Claudia Morgan-Gray, one of the proponents of the proposition, said she’s excited about the response the petitions generated. “We haven’t encountered any kind of strong or organized opposition to our proposals,” Morgan-Gray said. Mayor J.W. “Buzz” Fullen said he is remaining neutral on allowing alcohol sales in the city.

TYLER – A two-alarm fire has extensively damaged a home 2103 Glass Avenue. It was reported shortly before 5:00 Wednesday afternoon. The homeowner arrived at the house to find it on fire. Tyler fire investigators believe the fire started in the living room near an air conditioning unit. One person was transported from the scene to an area hospital for an unrelated medical issue.

TYLER — One person has been arrested following a report of a woman being assaulted on the campus of U.T Tyler. Shortly before 9:15 Tuesday night, she was jogging on Varsity Drive at Old Omen Road when the assault occurred. The woman told officers a man grabbed her and attempted to drag her toward the tree line between Old Omen Road and parking lot 7. The man began groping the victim’s vaginal area and breasts. The victim screamed several times. A passing motorist noticed the incident taking place and slowed down. At that time, the offender released the victim and ran from the scene toward parking lot 7.

The University of Texas at Tyler police have arrested in the case Dearion Deshon Dews, 19. He was booked into the Smith County Jail last night on the charge of attempted sexual assault. His bond was set at $100,000 by Judge Randall Rogers. Neither the victim nor the suspect are U.T. Tyler Students.

According to U.T. Tyler Police Chief Mike Medders, “A University of Texas at Tyler police officer located an individual near the scene of the crime matching the description given by the victim. Evidence was obtained in relation to the offense, and the suspect subsequently confessed.”

TYLER – In a couple of months there will be a vacancy in the Diocese of Tyler. Bishop Alvaro Corrada has been appointed Bishop of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Bishop Corrada, who has been in Tyler ten years, will be leaving in September. The post will remain vacant until Pope Benedict XVI names his successor.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are warning people to be on guard against telephone scams. These scams include calls from people pretending to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), or other law enforcement agencies. The caller will contact the victim and explain they are with an agency. They then tell the victim that if they do not pay them money immediately, usually several hundred dollars they will be arrested.

The Longview Police Department reminds citizens not to give out any pertinent information over the telephone. If someone contacts them they need to hang up the phone and contact the police immediately. Anyone can be a target of these scams.

TYLER — Police in Tyler are following up on an incident involving a two traffic accidents and a shooting. Shortly after 12:15 Yesterday afternoon, Tyler Police received a 911 call about a person being shot. A neighbor stated that the victim, who had been shot in the face, was in her driveway in the 8300 block of Garrett Drive. Investigators at this time believe that the shooting was self-inflicted; however, it is unknown if it was accidental or intentional. The victim has been identified as Brandon Laird, 28. Laird is listed in critical condition but is expected to live. The incident is currently under investigation. Police say further details will be released when available.

Tyler Officers assigned to the shooting on Garrett Drive were responding with emergency lights and siren. Just before 12:30 Officer Kerri Long notified dispatcher she had been involved in a collision in the intersection of Grande and South Broadway. Officer Long was traveling south bound on South Broadway and entered the intersection with her emergency equipment on. A pickup traveling east bound on Grande entered the intersection and collided with the passenger side of the patrol vehicle.

Officer Long, a nine year veteran of the Tyler Police Department, was transported to East Texas Medical Center by East Texas EMS. She was last listed in good condition with minor injuries, and her release was pending. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured and was released at the scene.

Tyler Police Officers also investigated another accident at the same location involving three vehicles. A vehicle stopped at the intersection for the officer’s accident and was struck from behind by a vehicle. That vehicle in turn was struck from behind by a third vehicle. The driver of the first vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The collisions remain under investigation.

CLARKSVILLE – A murder suspect, who at one time was thought to be heading for Tyler, has been arrested. Joseph Quelon Harris, 30, surrendered early Wednesday morning at the Red River County Sheriff’s Department. He was the object of a state-wide alert in connection with the Tuesday morning murder of his uncle, John Harris. Authorities have released no further information about the case.

MANGUM, Okla. (AP) – A defense attorney has asked a 12-member jury to find the wife of a former prison warden not guilty of helping a convicted killer escape almost 17 years ago. Defense attorney Garvin Isaacs made the request Wednesday as he wrapped up his opening statement in the Oklahoma trial of Bobbi Parker. Parker is accused of helping Randolph Dial escape from the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite in August 1994. Parker’s husband, Randy Parker, was deputy warden of the prison at the time. Isaacs says Bobbi Parker was drugged, kidnapped, beat and repeatedly raped by Dial while they lived in Texas for more than a decade. They were discovered at a Shelby County, Texas, chicken ranch in 2005. Prosecutors allege Bobbi Parker fell in love with Dial and helped him escape.

TYLER – A Gregg County man has been sentenced in Tyler federal court to federal prison for drug trafficking violations. Nathan Lee Hogan, 20, of Gladewater, pleaded guilty on November 30, 2010, to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison yesterday by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, from December 1, 2008 to June 5, 2009, Hogan purchased 203.52 grams of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine with intentions to manufacture methamphetamine. Hogan was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6, 2010 and charged with federal drug trafficking.

MINEOLA — More than twenty train cars left the track Wednesday morning during a derailment about seven miles east of Mineola. Union Pacific Railroad officials said that no one was injured and no hazardous materials were spilled. Twenty three cars were on the ground after the incident, which occurred between 3:30 and 4:00am on the portion of track running along County Road 2790. Ronnie Burgess of Union Pacific’s mechanical department said the cause of the derailment had not been determined. “Until we start getting the pieces picked up we really don’t know what we’ve got,” Burgess said. He said the cars, which began derailing from the fourth car after the engine, included sand hoppers, empty tankers and carloads of paper. “Nothing hazardous” was in any of the cars, Burgess said.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview seek four people who injured a homeowner during a vehicle burglary. On Sunday at 2:42 a.m., officers responded to a vehicle burglary in the 1200 Block of South Fredonia Street. Upon arrival, the victim told Police she heard voices outside her home. The victim went outside and observed four black males. One of the suspects was in her vehicle, and she described him as a heavy set or muscular black male, approximately 27 to 30 years old, wearing blue athletic shorts with a white shirt on his head. The other three suspects were described as being between 14 and 17 years old. All were of a thin build and were wearing blue shorts. These three had white t-shirts on their heads as well.

The victim stated she hit her car panic button and yelled at the four to get away from her car. She heard a gunshot, felt something hit her near her eye, and fell to the ground. She heard several more shots and realized the suspects were shooting a BB gun in her direction. At that point she called the police. The victim was taken to a local hospital for non life threatening injuries.

The Longview Police Department encourages anyone who witnesses a crime to call the Police and not put himself, herself, or anyone else in harm’s way. If you have any information on this crime you are encouraged to call the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1199. Information may also be reported anonymously by contacting Gregg County Crime Stoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com or calling 903-236-STOP.