KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County firefighters answered the call for help on a couple of house fires, including one that destroyed the residence. KETK reports that happened along County Road 485. There was no immediate word on what sparked the blaze. Firefighters believe some sort of electrical problem caused an earlier fire along Lariat Circle. There was no immediate report on extent of damage. No one was home at either residence. Both fires were Saturday afternoon.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say 30 gangs operate in and around the city and are responsible for a wide variety of crimes, including murder. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report a recent statewide assessment found a variety of gangs are funneling illegal drugs through East Texas on their way to destinations in the north. The Department of Public Safety estimates there are more than 100,000 gang members in the state representing 2,500 gangs.

TYLER — The Tyler ISD has agreed to accept the request of Michael Timms to resign from his current position as principal of John Tyler High School effective June 30. KETK reports Timms had been named principal of John Tyler in May of 2012, but was placed on administrative leave in March. Joe Coburn is serving as the interim principal and will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the campus. In a statement, TISD officials said, “Our focus is to provide a positive educational experience for the students at John Tyler High School. We appreciate the patience and support of staff, students and parents as we move forward.”

BURKE (AP) – An East Texas pilot has survived the fiery crash of his ultralight plane after the low-flying aircraft clipped some power lines. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the crash happened Sunday night near Burke, about 100 miles northeast of Houston. Angelina County Constable Tom Selman identified the pilot as Jerry Roy Morehouse, 59, of Huntington. Officials say Morehouse suffered minor burns when the plane hit the transmission line, split apart and fell to the ground. Witnesses helped pull the pilot from the wreckage. Emergency personnel treated Morehouse for burns to his right arm.

TYLER — Tyler Police continue their investigation into an early morning shooting. Officers were dispatched around 3:00 Monday morning to 3100 Highway 31 East in reference to a man that had been shot in the abdomen. An 18-year-old Hispanic male told authorities that he had been walking home from a gas station when a white car with black wheels pulled up next to him and shot him one time, then sped off. The victim was able to walk home and call 911. He was transported to a local hospital with what is believed to be non-life threatening injuries.

LONGVIEW — West and East Bound Lanes of Hollybrook Drive will be having periodic lane closures from Eastman Drive (U.S. Highway 259) east to Loop 281 starting Monday, April 15, from 7:00am to 5:30pm and lasting around 30 days. The lane closures will be by flagman and both East and West Bound Lanes will have periodic delays. The periodic lane closures are for A.E.P. SWEPCO power pole relocation along Hollybrook Drive.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

KILGORE — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to conclude resurfacing operations on Farm Road 1252 between State Highway 135 and State Highway 42, then on Wednesday are scheduled to move to U.S. Highway 259-Kilgore Relief Route to make pavement repairs near Synergy Park. The work at Synergy Park will require a daytime closure of the bypass between US 259 north of Kilgore and Farm Road 349. A marked detour will be in place while work is in progress, sending southbound traffic past the US 259 bypass entrance and then left at the SH 31/FM 349 intersection, and then onto the bypass at FM 349. Northbound traffic will exit at FM 349, turn toward Kilgore, then north toward Longview at SH 31/US 259 intersection. The work, which is scheduled to take three days to complete, in preparation for a second project to add a turn lane at Synergy Park, which is scheduled to let to contact in August.

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base pavement repairs in various locations in both directions on Interstate Highway 20 between U.S. Highway 69 and Farm Road 14. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform surface-sealing operations on Interstate Highway 20 in various locations between Farm Road 1255 east of Canton and the Smith County Line. Elsewhere, contract crews are still at work making base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 773 between IH 20 and Ben Wheeler, and construction crews are at work on Farm Road 17 between IH 20 near Canton and State Highway 110 in Grand Saline, and on Farm Road 2339 between Farm Road 1861 and Farm Road 773. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 782 between Farm Road 1716 in Oak Hill and State Highway 149 near the Gregg County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on Farm Road 1801 east of Mineola and on Loop 564 in Mineola. A second crew is scheduled to make pavement and edge repairs in various locations on Farm Road 779 northwest of Mineola. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 773 at its intersection with State Highway 31 in Murchison. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-texturing operations on U.S. Highway 175 in and around Frankston, and on Farm Road 855 between Cuney and Mount Selman. A second crew is scheduled to continue making base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 1911 between U.S. Highway 69 north of Wells and the end of state maintenance. Also this week in Cherokee County, construction crews are scheduled to continue work to add shoulders to State Highway 110 between U.S. Highway 79 in New Summerfield and U.S. Highway 84 in Rusk, and on State Highway 294 between Alto and the Anderson County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make base and pavement repairs in various locations on Farm Road 837 between State Highway 19 and Farm Road 315, and Farm Road 320 between Farm Road 645 to U.S. Highway 79. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

KILGORE (AP) — Championship-winning former Kilgore College football coach Jim Miller has died. He was 81. Miller’s son, Wade Miller, told The Associated Press that his father died in his sleep Saturday morning at home in Kilgore. He says his father had spent the day before fishing, one of his loves along with football. Jimmy Rieves, athletic director the two-year community college, told the Longview News-Journal that Miller “built a great tradition.” Miller, who had the longest tenure as football coach in the college’s history, joined the staff an assistant coach in 1967. He was named head coach in 1976 and retired in 1992 with a record of 97-66-2. The newspaper reports that he won a national championship and seven conference titles at the school. Services will be Tuesday in Kilgore.

PALESTINE — Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a wanted fugitive. According to KETK, around 8:30 Saturday night, Palestine Police responded to a disturbance call in the 200 block of Crest Drive. Officers said the received a tip that a wanted man, Jeorge Mendoza, was at the location and may be involved in the incident. Arriving officers noticed Mendoza jump from a vehicle in the driveway and run through the backyard into a wooded area.

Police searched the area and were not able to locate Medoza. Authorities from Palestine Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, DPS Troopers and Officers from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice helped in the search for Mendoza. TDCJ officers used tracking dogs to assist in the search for Mendoza and a helicopter was also used in the search. Police believe that Mendoza may be armed.

Mendoza was previously involved in another incident with police just over a month ago in Cherokee County. Mendoza is also wanted on several felony charges and should be considered armed and dangerous. He is known to frequent the Westwood area of Palestine.

Mendoza is a 30-year-old Hispanic male, 5’05” tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with any information should call the Palestine Police Department at 903-729-2254 or CRIME STOPPERS at 903-729-(TIPS) 8477.

PALESTINE — After 30 minutes of deliberations, an Anderson County jury handed down a life sentence to a Coffield Unit inmate Thursday for his involvement in the October 2009 assault of a corrections officer. According to the Palestine Herald, Benny Palomo, 31, was the second of three inmates to be convicted in the case.

On Oct. 19, 2009, inmate Raymond Sotelo, 26, had refused the order of corrections officer Eric Christiansen and the officer told him to returned to his cell. The inmate said “make me,” prompting Christiansen to cuff Sotelo. As he was doing so, Sotelo turned around and punched Christiansen in the face. Palomo immediately jumped in and the two took the officer to the ground. A third defendant also joined in, kicking the officer in the face and head repeatedly. During the incident, Christiansen received a black eye, bloody nose, abrasions to the side of the head and forehead and a slight concussion. The three fled and an extraction team came and took the inmates.

Sotelo was tried March 26 and 27 and was sentenced to the maximum 20 years. The trial for the third inmate involved in the case has been scheduled for June.

TYLER — One woman is dead following a townhouse fire in Tyler Friday night. It happened around 7:45 at Villa Ridge on Rivera, off of Old Troup Highway. Investigators believe the fire originated in the bedroom, but are not certain of the cause. The victim’s body has been sent for autopsy. Her name has not been released.

KILGORE — A Navarro College report issued Friday about a February disturbance after a Kilgore College basketball game says KC police were unjustified in pepper-spraying Navarro players. According to the Longview News-Journal, Navarro’s 29-page report sent to media outlets conflicts with an earlier report by Kilgore College Police Chief Martin Pessink, who concluded his two officers had used force necessary to address an escalating threat of violence. Pessink, and a private investigator who reviewed the Kilgore chief’s work, also concluded Kilgore College police should have controlled the crowd better. That report concluded the incident largely arose from the actions of a woman whom Pessink identified as a Navarro employee stirring up coaches and fans.

The Navarro report, however, said the after-game disturbance was the result of obscene, profane heckling by men whom Navarro staff thought were members of the Kilgore College football team, which lost a controversial playoff game to Navarro College a few months before.

During the Feb. 23 basketball match-up between the two schools, Kilgore defeated Navarro 88-78, leading to a celebration at mid-court. According to Kilgore College, the center-court celebration upset some players from Navarro, who “began verbalizing their disapproval which began to inflame the crowd.” Both teams by then were in their respective locker rooms. In its report, Kilgore College said Navarro College players were pepper sprayed after making threats against Kilgore College police officers who were restraining them.

In contrast, the Navarro report blamed the incident on misconceptions by Kilgore personnel. The witnesses indicated a crowd of 12 to 20 men, believed to be Kilgore College football players, heckled the team with obscene and profane comments which “went unabated throughout the game.” That heckling prompted Navarro coach Deborah Bonner to demand that it stop. Navarro witnesses said there was “apparent poor crowd control” and that several of the males involved in the heckling approached the Navarro bench — prompting a volunteer videographer to blow his whistle, as he feared a fight might break out.

Kilgore College spokesman Chris Craddock issued a statement in response to the Navarro report, noting there are two sides to any story involving a violent situation.

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP) – A man who was one of two inmates who escaped from an East Texas jail for two days has pleaded guilty to capital murder and drawn a life sentence without parole. Brian Allen Tucker pleaded guilty in a state district court in Sulphur Springs on Thursday. His attorney, Ronald Ferguson, told the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram that the plea came as a surprise. He attributed the plea to a desire to avoid a death-penalty prosecution. Tucker and another man escaped the Hopkins County Jail in Sulphur Springs on April 2. They were captured two days later in a barn in Cooper, 20 miles north of Sulphur Springs. Tucker was accused of strangling Bobby Riley to death in Riley’s Mahoney home in 2011.

KAUFMAN (Staff/AP) — Federal and local authorities executed a search warrant Friday at a North Texas home as part of an investigation into the slayings of the local district attorney and his wife. Authorities were searching the home of former Kaufman County justice of the peace Eric Williams, who was prosecuted and convicted of theft by the Kaufman County district attorney’s office. Williams hasn’t been named a suspect in any of the deaths. Kaufman County authorities say they’re receiving tips “on a fairly regular basis” as they move forward with the investigation of the murders.

Meanwhile, the newly-appointed Kaufman County district attorney says it’s time to step up. Judge Erleigh Wiley (pictured) vows to use her power to find those behind the high-profile killings that plague the community. She says the families of Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse — who was killed outside the county courthouse in January — and D.A. Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, who were murdered in their Forney home, are constantly in her thoughts. Governor Rick Perry appointed Wiley as his choice to step in for the remainder of McLelland’s term. The appointment must still be approved by the Senate.

HENDERSON — On Thursday, a Rusk County jury convicted and sentenced Jesse Ray Templin, 32, of Overton, for a third degree felony of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. KETK reports it was Templin’s fourth felony conviction. The jury sentenced him to two years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Institutional Division. On May 11, 2012, Templin was riding as a passenger in his own car while it was driven by a man he met in the Bradshaw State Jail. During the traffic stop, officials say they asked Templin four times if there was anything dangerous in the car. Templin reached into his glove box and pulled out a semi-automatic handgun. The arresting officer found a fully loaded clip for the gun in the glove box.

LONGVIEW — A former Longview city councilwoman was arrested about 1:00 p.m. Thursday after Longview police said she beat her roommate with a golf club for several minutes. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, police said Karen Baker Hailey, 59, started yelling at her roommate when he went to leave the apartment in the 2000 block of Toler Road. She then allegedly started hitting him repeatedly with both open hands and closed fists. Hailey then picked up a golf club and started hitting him repeatedly with it for several minutes before the victim finally called the Longview Police Department to report the incident, according to arrest records.

Police said the victim had red marks and bruising on his arm and his back that were “consistent with being struck with a long, skinny object.” Hailey was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon family violence and was being held in the Gregg County Jail on a $7,500 bond.

TYLER — Weather permitting, portions of the Tyler Public Library parking lot will be closed Sunday, April 14, for maintenance and repairs. Parking will be available across the street from the Library in the lot at the corner of South College Avenue and Elm Street. Parking meters around the Library building are available for handicapped visitor parking at no cost on weekends. For further information, call (903) 593-7323.

NACOGDOCHES — Additional charges involving a second Nacogdoches High School student have been filed against former Nacogdoches Independent School District substitute teacher Jamar Ballard, 29. KETK reports Ballard first was arrested Thursday and charged with improper relationship between an educator and a student after a student told an NHS staff member that Ballard had acted inappropriately toward her. A second student has now said that Ballard acted inappropriately toward her. In this alleged second incident, Ballard has been charged with sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between an educator and student.

“We are saddened and outraged at the thought of an adult having improper relations with students,” said NISD Superintendent Fred Hayes. “We will see this investigation through to the end.” NISD Police Chief Doug Ploch said that any student or teacher with further information can contact the NISD Police Department. Ballard was terminated as an NISD employee, arrested in Lufkin, and booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail on Thursday.

LONGVIEW — Authorities continue to seek clues after a puppy was stolen from the Wet Pets N Critters pet store in Longview just after ten Wednesday morning. The dog’s name is Spencer, and he’s a nine-week old Shih Tzu. KETK reports a man picked up the dog, and put him in his coat, then casually walked around the store. Store owner Laura Borens says the man then walked behind her employees, and out the door. She says she wants to find the dog soon, not because of the money, but due to the fact that when a dog is that young, it’s dangerous to suddenly change the animal’s environment. She says Spencer is on a specific diet, and if he is not fed the right kind of puppy food, it could make him sick, along with not getting his proper shots. If you have any clues, you are encouraged to call Longview Police right away.

TYLER — Tyler police are looking for two suspects who robbed a couple in the parking lot of the La Michoacana Meat Market at 310 North Beckham. It happened just before 8:45 Thursday night. The victims say they were approached by two men, one of whom asked to use their cell phone. He then pulled a gun, demanding their wallet and any money they had. After taking the victim’s property the suspects fled westbound on foot.

Both suspects were described as being in their late teens or early twenties. One of the suspects was said to be wearing a grey sweat shirt with black pants, about 5’10” and around 200 pounds. The second suspect was seen wearing a red, white and blue stripped shirt with tan shorts, was about 5’5″ and around 140 pounds. Neither victim was injured during the incident and the case remains under investigation.

TYLER — Tyler police have arrested one person for drug and weapons violations. The arrest came as officers executed a search warrant shortly after 5:15 Thursday afternoon at 2825 Cushing Drive. Investigators recovered crack cocaine, marijuana and seven firearms from the residence. Richard Earl Hartsfield, age 45, was arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance in a drug free zone, unlawful possession of a firearm, theft of a firearm, and possession of a prohibited weapon. Hartsfield was on parole following a 1992 murder conviction.

WOOD COUNTY — Authorities announce a major drug bust in Wood County. On March 29, Sergeant Jacob Richardson and deputies with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics search warrant at a residence on County Road 1676 in the Alba area. According to KETK, this was the result of a lengthy narcotics investigation into the sale of methamphetamine from that house. During the search of the home, multiple items were discovered that indicated that the home was being used as a selling point for methamphetamine including all the packaging material and cutting material, according to officials.

Marvin Lee Carr, 56, of Alba was arrested April 3 in the Mineola area on an arrest warrant for delivery of a controlled substance stemming from the investigation. Authorities say Sgt. Richardson also cleared a 2012 case of a stolen four-wheeler with the recovery of the four-wheeler and the subsequent return to its rightful owner. Richardson was also able to close eight additional cases, according to officials. Sgt. Carolyn Tanner assisted with the narcotics search warrant and spent the week working a homicide investigation. Officials say she was able to close one additional case as well. Sgt. Kyle Henson was able to close eight cases and continues to work several active investigations, according to authorities.

TYLER — Police in Tyler are crediting an “alert neighbor” with helping them catch a couple of burglary suspects. Thursday morning shortly after 10:15, Tyler Police received a 911 call from a citizen who reported seeing two men kick in his neighbor’s back door at 522 Wells Street. The neighbor told KETK crews on scene that he approached the burglars’ vehicle, which he said was still running outside the house. He said he punctured the tires with a nearby brick so that they couldn’t get away. As officers arrived on the scene, the suspects fled on foot, according to authorities. Police say officers flooded the area and were able to capture both suspects. The suspects are identified as John Climax, 25, and Shelton Oliver, 19, both of Tyler. Climax and Oliver were both jailed on charges of burglary of a habitation.

TYLER — A 49-year-old Grand Saline man has been sentenced to serve more than three years in a federal prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of three felony offenses. Andrew Mark Harris pleaded guilty on January 10 to possessing a .22 caliber pistol loaded with seven bullets after having been convicted of 3 felony crimes. He was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis.

Federal prosecutors say, on April 26, 2012 a Grand Saline police officer stopped Harris for driving a car displaying an expired inspection sticker. The officer arrested Harris for the offense and then conducted a property inventory of the car’s contents. The inventory led to the discovery of the loaded pistol. In 2004 Harris was convicted in federal court for distributing methamphetamine. He also has Debit Card Abuse and Credit Card abuse convictions in Kaufman and Van Zandt Counties, respectively.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has approved an incentive package for the Italian company Tazza Pronto — tossing in some incentives of its own. Tyler Economic Development Council chief Tom Mullins says the company’s been looking in Seattle, Kentucky, and Tyler. If it chooses Tyler, it will partner with Distant Lands Coffee on a popular single-serve product, operating in the old Carrier plant. Next up: submission for approval next week by county commissioners and TJC trustees. Mullins remains confident the deal will go through; he says Tazza Pronto could start up operations in Tyler later this year, bringing in up to 200 jobs within three to five years.

LONGVIEW — A Longview police officer responded to an unusual scene Wednesday morning when he was dispatched to the 3200 Block of Fourth Street regarding a man lying in a parking lot inhaling paint from a Sprite bottle, according to police reports. Dispatch advised that the reporting party had almost run over William Walker, 25, of Longview, according to police reports. KETK and the Longview news Journal say according to the report, when the officer arrived, he observed Walker sitting on the ground wearing a green flight suit and spraying gold paint into a Sprite bottle. The officer reported Walker had gold paint all over his clothes and mouth and appeared to be in a “euphoric state.” The officer also reported Walker could not remember where he lived, how he got to Fourth Street, was slurring his speech, and had glossy eyes.

The officer transported Walker to Longview Regional Medical Center for medical clearance, at which time Walker told the officer, “I’m so high, I could start a paint farm” and “I’m over the limit.” When Walker was asked to define what he meant by limit, he said, “Over the paint limit,” according to police reports. The officer arrested Walker, charging him with inhaling, ingesting, and possession of a volatile chemical with the intent to inhale, ingest, apply, or use the chemical in a manner contrary to its labeling to cause intoxication, hallucination or elation, according to the police report. Williams was placed in the Gregg County Jail on $500 bond.

PALESTINE — An East Texas school district makes it known: you better not mess with their kids. Signs posted at all four Westwood ISD campuses in Palestine read, “Notice: staff may be armed to protect students.” Superintendent Ed Lyman says the signs went up after the Sandy Hook Shooting. He says no one’s complained, but some parents are concerned. According to Lyman, “We pray that there’ll never be an accident, just like we pray there’ll never be an assault on our schools. But if there is, we want to be ready to defend ourselves.” He says the staffers who have had special training are armed, and some are former military or police officers. He tells news media the plan is adapted from one used by the Harrold ISD near the Oklahoma border.

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities plans to take a remediation action plan for the Lake Tyler Dam to City Council on April 24, and officials hope the remediation effort can be under construction in late summer 2013. According to city press materials, the Lake Tyler Dam was constructed in 1948-1949, using the best engineering practices at the time. Due to the foundation material used in the original construction, it is believed that there has always been seepage along the downstream toe of the embankment. This seepage is actually documented as far back as 1978, and has had no observable effect on lake elevations.

“The Lake Tyler system has an extremely small drainage basin,” said Greg Morgan, Managing Director of Utilities and Public Works. “As a result it requires substantial rainfall, almost directly on the lake to affect the lake level. This is compounded by the number of ponds and private lakes upstream of the Lake Tyler system, which are also low and intercepting runoff before it has a chance to reach the Lake Tyler system. This is the primary reason Lake Tyler remains low, despite recent rains.”

During the 2010 Dam Inspection, Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) discovered a boil (water transporting soil) in addition to the seepage. A weir was set up to measure the flow from the boil. TWU has been working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and consulting engineers to develop plans for remediating this maintenance issue. “The leakage flow rate measured at the weir is approximately 30 gallons/minute,” said Morgan. “At that flow rate it would take approximately 91 years to lower the lake elevation one foot.”

TYLER — Alpha Omicron, the Tyler Junior College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, received an overall ranking of fifth in the world during the honor society’s recent 95th International Convention in San Jose, April 4-6. The chapter also received numerous other awards. Alpha Omicron was ranked fifth by virtue of its selection as Fourth Finalist for 2013 Most Distinguished Chapter.

According to a TJC news release, a total of 1,904 chapter entries were received for the 2013 Phi Theta Kappa International Hallmark Awards. These awards, based on judged applications, recognize individuals, chapters and regions for excellence in the Society’s Hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship as exemplified through Honors in Action activities.

Alpha Omicron’s Windsor Grove Restoration Project, an effort chaired by Officer Kyle McDougal, scored the highest in that service category, and also won a Distinguished Honors in Action Project Award for “excellence in academic research, leadership roles, leadership development, service learning and collaboration.” TJC’s Alpha Omicron was also recognized as an International Distinguished Chapter, which is bestowed only to the top 10% of chapters worldwide.

Advisor Gigi Delk was also honored with a Continued Excellence Award for Advisors. Advisors Shannon Cross and Felecia Neely-Morris received Horizon Awards for advisors at the regional level. “Any of the 1,300 Phi Theta Kappa chapters worldwide would be thrilled to win even one International Hallmark Haaward,” Delk said. “It is quite an honor to return to Tyler with five.

GILMER — Seven persons, accused of being part of a heroin smuggling ring, have been arrested in Upshur County. They were arrested on federal charges ranging from possession of heroin to distribution of heroin and conspiracy to distribute. An eighth suspect was arrested on a firearms violation. The arrests stems from an investigation Gilmer police started around nine months ago. Since then the investigation expanded to include local, state and federal authorities.

The suspects are identified as William Avery “Preacher” Griffin, 56, Lindsey Noel Rawls, 23, Denise Stewart Driggers, 55, Ruby Faye Cooper, 55, Paul Allen Wiggington, 55, Lidia Gail Brooks Olivares, 32, Jerry Milton Bryant, 58 and Carlos Lopez Brooks, 45. All of the suspects are from Gilmer.

Authorities say there has been other indictments in the case. The names of those suspects will not be released until the indictments are unsealed.