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NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Office is looking into a possible child abduction that occurred in the 100 block of Ridgeview Drive in Nacogdoches on Wednesday evening. According to the police report, a woman said her 3-year-old son was taken from her yard by people driving a black car. The woman reportedly followed the vehicle, which stopped near CR 727 on FM 2782. The woman said the passenger exited the vehicle with her son and ran into the woods. She followed the person and found her son in the woods, according to the report.

MINEOLA – A former Mineola teacher is free on bond today after being indicted on charges connected to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a child. Jo Ann Stephens, 43, was named in a five-count indictment Wednesday. She surrendered to authorities on Friday. Stephens was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child, two counts of inappropriate relationship with a child, and one count of online solicitation. Each indictment carries a $25,000 bond.

Stephens was arrested last December following a four-month-long investigation. She was charged at the time with improper relationship with a student. The Mineola High School student has since graduated. Mineola police say they started the investigation after receiving a complaint from Child Protective Services on August 4. The incident with the student, who was said to have been 15 at the time, is said to have taken place in May of 2008. Following her arrest, Stephens resigned as physical education teacher at the elementary and middle school.

LONGVIEW — On November 10, three weeks before the first of two defendants was found guilty in his son’s death, Kelvin Muckleroy’s grandson, Kaden Muckleroy, died in a Henderson hospital after a pit bull attack.

Helen Muckleroy was the victim’s older sister. Three months ago, she laid to rest her 2-year-old son, Kaden, who was mauled outside his grandfather’s home by a pit bull. The dog belonged to Muckleroy Jr. and was rescued after the 2009 fire.“People just didn’t know. That’s why we had that dog in our yard,” she said. Despite her losses, including Wednesday when she was inconsolable after hearing Lockridge’s testimony, Helen Muckleroy said the words that gave her family resolve.“As long as it is not an innocent verdict, there is still a chance,” she said. “There is still a chance.”

A mistrial was declared in Toronto Lockridge’s murder trial in Gregg County. On Friday, Gregg County District Judge Alfonso Charles declared a mistrial in co-defendant Toronto Eldermek Lockridge’s murder case. After more than two days of testimony and six hours of deliberations, the jury deadlocked 11-1 on whether Lockridge was involved in the September 2009 shooting and arson of Kelvin Muckleroy Jr. A new trial in two months at the earliest is the silver lining for both sides. Lockridge and co-defendant Brandon Quadnell Horne face up to 99 years or life in prison if convicted of fatally shooting Muckleroy Jr. in the head and burning down his house..

TYLER – Three East Texans are handed drug sentences Thursday in Tyler federal court. A 46-year-old Beckville woman has been sentenced to 68 months behind bars, a 34-year-old resident of DeBerry in Panola County has received a 35-month prison term, and a 30-year-old Mt. Pleasant man has drawn a 37-month sentence.

Heidi Lynn Beall of Beckville pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2010, to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. According to prosecutors, on Dec. 24, 2008, Beall purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Walgreens in Longview, Texas, in addition to making two other purchases that same day at other stores in the area, as well as on many other occasions, all in furtherance of her methamphetamine manufacturing activities. A federal grand jury returned a 256-count indictment on Feb. 2, 2010 charging Beall with federal drug violations.

Johnny V. Jackson, Jr., of Deberry, pleaded guilty on Nov. 22, 2010, to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. According to information presented in court, on Aug. 28, 2008, Jackson was found in possession of about 90 grams of crack cocaine. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 4, 2010, and charged with federal drug violations.

Crisoforo Bello Mejia of Mt. Pleasant pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2010, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was also ordered to forfeit $7,000 in seized cash to the government. According to authorities, on Jan. 28, 2010, Meija was found in possession of 15 grams of powder cocaine, which he delivered in exchange for $450. On June 11, 2010, federal agents executed a search warrant at Meija’s Mount Pleasant home and discovered an additional 254 grams of powder cocaine and $7,000 in drug proceeds. Meija was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2010, and charged with federal drug violations.

SMITH COUNTY — The body found burned in a truck in Smith County on Monday has been identified as 52-year-old Ricky James Simar of Rowlett. According to KETK, firefighters found the body on Patton Lane near Hwy 31 west. Originally, the gender or age of the victim could not be identified, but investigators were finally able to determine his identity through dental records.

BEAUMONT – In a case that stretched into Henderson, a 42-year-old Treasure Island, Florida, man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in an Internet gambling conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas. Daniel Patrick Davis was convicted on July 9, 2010, of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling enterprise, two counts of operating an illegal gambling enterprise and two counts of money laundering. Davis was sentenced Thursday in Beaumont to 12 months and one day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield. The court also ordered the forfeiture of a money judgment of $300,000 in gambling proceeds as well as several accounts containing about $80,000 cash and several vehicles.

Davis and two Texans — 55-year-old Phillip Dell Clark of Big Spring and 73-year-old Cecil D. Stephens of Burnet — were convicted by a jury following a 10-day trial last summer. Clark and Stephens are set to be sentenced on Mar. 24. According to authorities, a joint investigation revealed that from April 2007 to September 2009, the defendants operated a multi-million dollar gambling enterprise through computerized gambling machines using sweepstakes to attract patrons under the guise of Internet cafes and e-business centers in Port Arthur, Beaumont, Nederland, and Henderson, Texas. Clark and Davis owned and operated Dolphin Internet in Port Arthur, Davis operated the Nederland Internet Café in partnership with others, Clark and Stephens owned and operated the Double Click in Henderson, and Davis and Stephens operated the Henderson Sweepstakes in Henderson.

The Dolphin Internet and the Nederland Internet Café were shut down after search warrants were executed on July 2, 2008, and the Beaumont location closed shortly thereafter. Search warrants were also served on the Double Click in Henderson in March 2009 which led to its closure. A search warrant in September 2009 also led to the closure of the Henderson Sweepstakes. The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 7, 2009, and charged with federal gambling violations.

TYLER — A Smith County man is going to prison for indecency with a child. Darren Dickens, 46, of Arp, pleaded guilty to two charges on Monday. Thursday, State District Judge Jack Skeen sentenced Dickens to 30 years in prison. He was sentenced to 20 years on one of the charges and 10 years on the second. The sentences will be served consecutively.

TYLER – A temporary restraining order has been issued that prohibits the City of Whitehouse from enforcing its new animal ordinance against Wild Rose Rescue Ranch. The order was issued this week from the 7th state District Court in Smith County. Wild Rose Rescue Ranch, a non-profit organization whose mission is to “rescue, rehabilitate and, whenever possible, adopt out to ‘forever homes’ lost, orphaned, injured or unwanted animals that would otherwise suffer.” The ranch had filed a lawsuit against the City of Whitehouse alleging that the city’s new animal ordinance is unconstitutional.

The ordinance, which was passed by the Whitehouse City Council last week, contains fifteen pages of regulations that, among other things, limit the number of animals that may be kept on private property within the city limits. It limits the number of dogs to four and states that the number of horses shall not be “in excess”. The lawsuit alleges that the ordinance is vague, ambiguous and unconstitutional because it does not define “excess” or state the number of horses that may be kept.

The lawsuit went on to say that Wild Rose Rescue Ranch had more than four dogs at the time the ordinance was enacted and that the four-dog limit amounts to a “retroactive” law which violates the Texas Constitution. The court set the matter for hearing on March 11 at 1:30 p.m.

LONGVIEW – The U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship will be coming to Longview beginning in 2012 and continuing through 2014. The announcement was made by the Balloon Federation of America’s Hot Air Competition Division. A news release from the organization said Longview was selected from a field of four that had expressed interest in the host role of this prestigious event. The three-year agreement was ratified by both organizations earlier this week.

“The selection of Longview and the GTBR took a great deal of dedicated work by the staffs of both organizations,” said Paul Petrehn, Chairman of the BFA HACD, “but we knew going in to expect an excellent bid package from Dr. Bill Bussey and the people of Longview. The GTBR enjoys an outstanding reputation as a top-flight competition event. The opportunity to couple these two events was not to be missed,” added Petrehn. “Both pilots and spectators alike will be treated to an unprecedented showing of the very best competition our sport has to offer.”

For spectators in East Texas, the BFA U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship presented by Curves and the Great Texas Balloon Race will mean more balloons flying overhead for longer than ever before. A total of 70 or more balloons will color the summer skies above Longview for an entire week, beginning on Monday morning and continuing through the following Sunday. Those pilots will be competing for a total prize purse of $50,000 and the opportunity to go on to represent the U.S. in World Champion competition. The dates for the 2012 event are July 23 – 29th.

Longview’s first balloonist and founder of the Great Texas Balloon Race, Dr. Bill Bussey says he can’t wait. “We’re thrilled with the decision of the BFA on a number of levels,” said Bussey. “It validates the many years of hard work of the countless volunteers who have strived to build the Great Texas Balloon Race into one of the best events in the country. This opportunity also allows us to bring to the citizens of Longview and East Texas an even bigger and better show than ever before,” he said.

“Of course none of it would be possible without the unparalleled sponsorship of the many fine businesses and service organizations, like our title sponsor Curves International, that support ballooning and the Great Texas Balloon Race year in and year out. It’s like the Mercury astronauts used to say, ‘No bucks. No Buck Rogers,’” added Bussey. “This year marks the 33rd Annual Great Texas Balloon Race and that longevity is testament to the pride of community and quality of life that we enjoy here in Longview and throughout East Texas,” Bussey said.

TYLER — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office is opening in Tyler. The announcement was made at a reception yesterday by John Bales, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas and Department of Homeland Security Special Agent in Charge John Chakwin Jr. The Tyler ICE HSI Office is located in the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 110 North College in downtown Tyler. Authorities say ICE HSI is dedicated to protecting homeland security by enforcing the nation’s immigration and customs laws. Until now, the closest ICE HSI special agents were housed in the Dallas area and required to make a 200-mile round trip to work on Tyler-area cases.

The ICE HSI special agents at the Tyler office will be investigating a range of immigration and law enforcement responsibilities. Those include worksite enforcement, intellectual property rights, human smuggling and human trafficking, money laundering, child pornography and sexual exploitation crimes against children, drug trafficking, and many others. To report suspicious activity, the public is encouraged to call the ICE toll-free number — 1-866-347-2423.

TYLER — Tyler police continue their investigation of a home invasion in which one of the victims is a local deputy constable. On Thursday at 6:30 a.m., Tyler Police responded to the Wood Trail Apartments at 1909 Shiloh Rd. apartment # 118, on a report of a home invasion with shots fired. Officers arrived on the scene of the incident, found a suspect shot in the upper chest inside the apartment, and were told that a second suspect had run away on foot. Officers contacted two victims who were inside the apartment who were identified as Amie Hall and her friend Derek Phillips. Phillips is a Smith County Deputy Constable for Pct. 1 and shot the suspect inside the apartment.

The suspect who was shot was transported to East Texas Medical Center and underwent surgery. He was identified as Matthew Dwayne Patton, 22, of Tyler. The suspect who got away was spotted walking down the road at 7:25 a.m. by K-9 Officer Steve Black at Shiloh and Bascom Road. Police say the suspect matched the description and was determined to be involved in the incident. He was identified as 21-year-old Patric Thurston. Thurston was charged with 1st degree Felony Burglary and transported to Smith County Jail. Officers recovered a semi-automatic handgun that was thrown into the woods when Thurston fled the area. Police say initial details of the investigation indicate that the home invasion was a random act of violence by the two suspects.

Phillips is no stranger to scandal. In 2009, he was investigated by Texas Rangers for pulling out a gun at a party. Also, at one time he was in trouble for not having a state law enforcement license. According to state records, Phillips is now a licensed peace officer. Phillips is the son of Smith County Commissioner Terry Phillips. His brother, Lance, was also investigated for secretly taping a woman.

TYLER — Tyler Police say a man got into a fight with a motorcycle cop yesterday morning shortly after 8:00. Motorcycle Officer William Steinmiller conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of West Front Street and South College Street when it was discovered Michael Renard Webb, 36, Tyler, had warrants for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.

While Officer Steinmiller was waiting on his backup, Webb unexpectedly began to attack him. Smith County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Fabio Martinez observed that Officer Steinmiller needed assistance and came to his aid. Michael Webb was taken into custody and transported to the Smith County jail. Webb had no apparent injuries; however Officer Steinmiller and Investigator Martinez were injured and they were treated and released at East Texas Medical Center. Police say Webb has an extensive violent criminal history and is being charged with two felony offenses of Assault on a Public Servant.

Any witnesses who may have observed this incident are encouraged to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1090.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Diboll police on Tuesday arrested a Hudson debt collector accused of using her position to steal someone’s identity and open an account, charging several thousand dollars at a local business. Lufkin Police had been investigating the case against Leanna Jean Busby, 30, since September, according to a police report. Busby used her position as a debt collector to access the victim’s information, the report stated. She then opened an account at Lowe’s in Lufkin, charging several thousand dollars. A warrant for her arrest was issued Feb. 1.

Diboll police caught up with Busby on Tuesday and arrested her, eventually turning her over to Lufkin police. In addition to the warrant for fraud, Busby had two tickets for speeding and failure to appear, jail records stated. She is out of the Angelina County Jail on a collective $6,000 bond, according to jail records.

TYLER – A Camp County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Tyler in a bank fraud scheme. Lesley Carroll Beene, 59, of Pittsburg, was indicted Wednesday and charged with bank fraud and false bank entries. If convicted, Beene faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

The indictment alleges that on August 4, 2008, Beene represented to Cypress Bank that he had a 2003 Kobleco SK 480 LC Excavator which he used as collateral to secure a loan in the amount of $150,000. However, when the loan became due, he failed to produce the collateral to Cypress Bank for inspection or sale. On August 30, 2008, Beene is alleged to have knowingly made false entries in the books, reports and statements of Cypress Bank. Specifically, that he owned four acres of land in Pittsburg, Texas worth $585,000 and that he had no mortgage on that property, when in fact, Beene had owner financed a 10-year mortgage from 2004 to 2014 on the property in the amount of $195,000.