East Texas man sentenced to prison on drug charges

HENDERSON COUNTY — A Payne Springs man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after officials discovered nearly 50 grams of meth during a search of his vehicle. According to the Henderson County District Attorney’s office and our news partner KETK, Richard Blane Sims, 48 , was sentenced on July 11 for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance.

In May of 2023, an officer with the Mabank Police Department reportedly “observed a vehicle pulling a trailer with defective equipment and initiated a traffic stop.” Sims allegedly did not have a driver’s license. The district attorney’s office said the passenger of the vehicle had an open warrant and a baggie of methamphetamine was found in her clothing during her arrest. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted where officials found a metal box that contained a scale and a large bag that was determined to be 48.64 grams of methamphetamine.