Criminal Enterprise Spurs Arrests in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Seven people have been arrested in Cherokee County on multiple counts of federal drug and firearms violations after a federal grand jury returned a sealed six-count indictment. Authorities say the indictment resulted from a lengthy investigation launched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Police Department. The Rusk Police Department assisted in the apprehension and arrest of four of the suspects. At the time of the arrests, over 100 grams of methamphetamine, 10 firearms, and cash were seized, according to officials. If convicted, the defendants face between 5-40 years in prison and fines of up to $5,000,000 on the drug charges and additional incarceration on the weapons charges.

All of the defendants are residents of Cherokee County and are currently in custody. Initial appearances were held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicole Mitchell in Tyler on March 11.

Those named in the indictment are:

Eric Scott Smart, 30
Steven Ray Davis, 42
Michael Wayne Christopher, 52
Jimmy Royce Stafford, aka “Jimmy Loven,” 28
Karl Dwayne Underwood, 23
Jimmy Chance Guillen, 23
Darren Michael Massey, 20