Son of Smith County officials arrested for issuing subpoenas

TYLER – The son of a Smith County commissioner and the elected Smith County Clerk was arrested again on Monday for legal process simulating after he issued subpoenas without authorization, according to an arrest warrant and our news partner KETK. The warrant said on July 31, a detective with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office was asked to investigate into three legal processes that were served to County Judge Neal Franklin, Sheriff Larry Smith and Court Security Lieutenant Matthew Lazarine.  According to the warrant, the subpoena stated a case number which came back to a criminal case against Lance Phillips, 40, for disruption of a meeting. In a subpoena sent to Lazarine, the warrant said he was commanded to appear to testify before the judge in this case.

The warrant said Smith County Constable Precinct 2 Bobby Garmon received a call from Phillips on July 23 “asking him to serve these said subpoenas.”

On July 25, the warrant said Phillips sent Garmon an email with three attached subpoenas. A detective with the sheriff’s office noted, according to the warrant, there was no signature from the county clerk on any of the subpoenas.

“All subpoenas do state the aforementioned information above but commanded to bring different types of evidence to the court,” the warrant said. “Lance is not authorized to issue these subpoenas.”
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Phillips remains in the Smith County Jail, as of Wednesday, and his bond has been set at a combined $500,000.