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LONGVIEW — An arrest this week for online solicitation of a minor is the latest in a series of such arrests by Longview police. A Diana man remains in the Gregg County Jail on charges of online solicitation of a minor and unlawful carry of a weapon. Longview police arrested Gregg Lee Haden, 36, at the intersection of Alpine and Page roads at 11:00 Tuesday morning. Authorities say, on Monday and Tuesday, Haden reportedly sent text messages to who he believed was a 14-year-old minor to meet for sex. When Haden arrived to meet the minor at the location, he was instead met by officers. Haden posted $21,000 bond and was released Wednesday from the Gregg County Jail. Jail records showed that he has an alias, Gregg Lee Mathison.

Earlier, a Spring man was arrested by Harris County sheriff’s deputies after Longview investigators posed as a 14-year-old female. Longview police said Bryan Dudley sent sexually explicit images of himself to someone he thought was a young girl. Stephen Wayne Perritte, 66, of Henderson, is out of jail on $20,000 bond after his May 25 arrest in Longview for online solicitation of a minor. Meanwhile, Charles Abner Richey Jr., 62, of Christianburg, Va., remains in the Gregg County Jail on $200,000 bond and a U.S. Marshal’s detainer following his May 5 online solicitation arrest.

MARSHALL (AP) – A federal trial is underway in East Texas over claims that Pilgrim’s Pride closed two plants where it had a monopoly in order to boost chicken prices. The trial in Marshall centers on a lawsuit filed by chicken farmers in four states. The suit says Pilgrim’s Pride violated federal and state laws by manipulating the price of commodity chicken when it shut down the Arkansas and Louisiana processing plants. Pilgrim’s Pride has said it closed those plants and others during bankruptcy reorganization to save costs. It emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2009, a year after the filing. It then sold a majority stake to Brazilian beef giant JBS. The company’s headquarters moved from Pittsburg in East Texas to Greeley, Colo.

LONGVIEW — A Morris County man is in the Gregg County Jail after authorities said he impersonated a public servant and attacked two police officers while trespassing at a Longview apartment. Charles Lawrence Johnson, 53, of Omaha, was arrested at about 6 p.m. Tuesday by Longview police, who were responding to a criminal trespass call at Churchill in the 1500 block of East Whaley Street.

Authorities say, Johnson was told twice in 2009 to stay out of the property. On Tuesday he refused management’s requests to leave a residence. When officers arrived and tried to arrest Johnson, he said he was a Texas Ranger and displayed a badge that was actually a money clip, reports showed. When officers again tried to subdue Johnson, he fought violently until he was overtaken and cuffed.

Johnson reportedly hit an officer several times in the face with his fist during the struggle. Johnson is charged with impersonating a public servant, resisting arrest, assault of a public servant and criminal trespass. He remained jailed Wednesday on $11,500 bond.

TYLER — One person has been arrested in connection with a fire at the Dollar General Store on West Erwin. The fire was reported around 9:15 Wednesday morning. Damage was minimal. From the outset, investigators said the blaze was suspicious. Wednesday afternoon Tyler Fire Chief Paul Findley said a juvenile had been arrested in the case. Findley said the teen was charged with arson and that additional charges could be filed.

LONGVIEW – What started out as a criminal trespass case has resulted in additional charges being filed against an East Texas man. Just before 5:30 Tuesday night, Longview police responded to a criminal trespass call in the 1500 block of East Whaley Street. On the property, officers found Charles L. Johnson, 53, of Omaha, who had previously been warned by police on two separate occasions to stay off the property.

When the officers tried to take Johnson into custody, they say he resisted and struck one of the officers several times. During the incident Johnson is said to have told the officers that he was also a peace officer. Johnson was eventually taken in to custody and charged with criminal trespass, impersonating a peace officer, assault on a public servant, and resisting arrest.

One of the officers suffered minor injuries during the scuffle.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating an aggravated assault that occurred in the parking lot of apartments in the 3400 block of Varsity Drive. The victim told officers she had been assaulted Wednesday afternoon by a woman known only to her by the name of Ann. She said the assault occurred as a result of an earlier argument over some damaged vehicle tires owned by the victim.

She told officers she was in the parking lot of the apartments when the suspect pulled up in a car and began swinging a knife at her. The assault was broken up by others in the parking lot. She had small cuts under an arm and face as well as a small puncture wound on her abdomen. She was treated at Mother Francis Hospital and released. No other injuries were reported. The investigation continues.

AUSTIN – Texas Monthly magazine is out with its list of the best and worst members of the Texas legislature. While no East Texas legislator made the best list, two were on the worst list. They are Tyler’s Leo Berman and Center’s Larry Christian. All on the worst list are Republicans, including Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.

AUSTIN – A Northeast Texas man is being named Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party. Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie announced that he will appoint Bill Brannon of Sulphur Springs to the post, effective July 1st. He will be succeeding Ruben Hernandez.

Richie said, “I’ve thought long and hard on this decision, and I’m very confident that Bill will do a tremendous job at the helm of the TDP. Bill has spent a lifetime working to foster inclusion, coordination and cooperation in Texas Democratic politics and he works well with grassroots organizers, officeholders and major donors, all of whom are important to Democratic success. Bill’s leadership will allow the TDP to continue and strengthen its fundraising, political, organizational and communications tasks.”

According to the group’s news release, Brannon has been professionally involved in politics for over 30 years. He has been part of over 150 campaigns at all levels and in virtually all positions. As an administrator, Bill has directed numerous campaign staffs and has over ten years experience as the District Director for two congressional offices. Bill has participated in the Texas Democratic Party at all levels – as an activist, Precinct Chair, County Chair and SDEC member.

TYLER — The City’s Tyler Against Graffiti (TAG) team and Keep Tyler Beautiful Board announce the beginning of a partnership with the Smith County Juvenile Services office to put young offenders to work cleaning up the City’s graffiti. Starting Monday morning, June 20, 2011, the TAG team will be putting the partnership into action. Organizers say the partnership is aimed at using young people who have been found guilty of violating Tyler’s graffiti ordinance to clean up the tags found around the city. The youth range in age from 14 to 17.

“This is a very exciting opportunity to get at-risk youth involved with the community in a positive way,” said Marjorie Mustard, board chairperson for Keep Tyler Beautiful. “We are hoping that this program will show young offenders that graffiti is harmful to the community; it takes hard work to clean up and it is expensive.” By engaging these young offenders in cleaning up graffiti, it is also hoped that they will take on some ownership and have some pride in their work, Ms. Mustard added.

Smith County Juvenile Services Director Ross Worley says he is very excited about the program and is optimistic over its future. “We look forward to being involved with the TAG program again and partnering with the City of Tyler to help eradicate graffiti while fostering a sense of responsibility and community with our juvenile offenders.” The City of Tyler spends nearly $24,000 per year on graffiti abatement through the TAG team efforts. The team averages about 40 reports per month. The TAG program is sponsored by Keep Tyler Beautiful.

LONGVIEW — Pilgrim’s Pride is headed to court Thursday in a federal lawsuit filed by former chicken growers. The lawsuit is a combination of two 2009 complaints filed by the city of Clinton, Ark., and Shelia and James Adams, who own or have owned 368 poultry farms in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas, including in Nacogdoches and Mount Pleasant. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the lawsuits were originally filed in federal bankruptcy court, but a Fort Worth federal court consolidated the cases and moved the venue to Marshall.

The lawsuits allege Pilgrim’s violated the Packers and Stockers Act through its plan to manipulate the price of chicken, its creation of an insider system of advantages and its retaliation for and termination of growers who refused to continually make capital investments in their facilities. Pilgrim’s denies the allegations. Formerly headquartered in Pittsburg, Pilgrim’s Pride filed bankruptcy in 2008. It emerged from bankruptcy in late 2009 after selling a majority stake to Brazilian meat producer JBS USA. Company headquarters was moved from East Texas to Greeley, Colo., in 2010.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview seek the public’s help in solving a laptop theft that happened last month. On May 6 at around 2:00 p.m., thieves took the laptop from a store located in the 1800 block of West Loop 281. According to surveillance video and witness statements, three people, two black males and one black female, entered the store during regular business hours. Once inside, the female took an Acer laptop and put it down the front of one of the suspect’s pants. That suspect then went over to another male and put the laptop down the back of his pants.

The female is described as being between 23 and 40 years of age. She was wearing a black wig, black tight-fitting dress with cutouts down the side of the dress, red belt, and red high heeled shoes. The two male suspects are described as being between 20 to 40 years of age and both were wearing white shirts and blue jeans. Anyone who recognizes these individuals is encouraged to contact Detective Gary Shirley with 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 903-236-STOP.

LUFKIN — Former Hudson High School debate teacher Jesus Gonzalez, 23, has turned himself in on charges he had an improper relationship with a 17-year-old female student. According to an affidavit, an exchange took place between Gonzalez and the girl on a school trip to Austin in March and again in a car in Hudson a week later. According to Hudson ISD superintendent Mary Ann Whiteker, Gonzalez resigned when allegations were made known. Angelina County District Attorney Clyde Herrington said in 2009 a law was passed making sexual relationships between an educator and student illegal no matter the student’s age. Gonzales is out of the Angelina County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

MARSHALL – A Marion County man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations. Dever Lee Applewhite, 54, of Jefferson, pleaded guilty in January to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. He was sentenced Tuesday in Marshall to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.

According to information presented in court, on January 10, 2010, Applewhite purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a WalMart, a Walgreens and a CVS in Marshall. The purchases were all made within less than 30 minutes of each other. Applewhite’s co-defendants have already been convicted and sentenced in this case. Summer Berry Applewhite was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on April 20, 2011, and Ralph Arthur Finley was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on May 18, 2011. The case was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6, 2010.

LONGVIEW — Authorities reduced the Gregg County Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted list Tuesday with the arrest of a Longview man. Gregg County sheriff’s deputies took Brad Hagen “Sledge” Hammer, 36, into custody Tuesday morning following a grand jury indictment for felony drunk driving. District Judge Alfonso Charles set Hammer’s bond at $30,000 and scheduled a June 24 arraignment hearing.

The charge stems from Hammer’s Nov. 11 arrest on drunk driving charges. Prior to his arrest, he completed a three-year jail term for a 2009 drunk driving conviction in which a drug possession charge was dismissed. He remained in the Gregg County Jail on Tuesday afternoon.

TYLER — A man who held off SWAT team officers for about 2 hours before he was taken into custody. He’s now being sought after Smith County jailers mistakenly let him go. Officials are searching for Steven Ehrlish, 33, Lindale, after his accidental release on May 31. A jailer reportedly received a teletype from the Watauga Police Department stating a warrant they had for Erlish had been dismissed. The jailer mistook that message as the prisoner’s holding warrant and released him. They realized the mistake several hours later. If you have any information about his location, contact authorities.