Lufkin Radio Station Owner Remains in Jail

LUFKIN — Lufkin radio station owner Stephen Yates will remain in the Polk County Jail for at least the next three weeks after appearing before Polk County Judge Elizabeth Coker Monday morning. Yates, who is in jail for allegedly violating the terms of his probation a second time, was denied bond by Coker, according to Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon. Yates has been on probation since 2007 for his third DWI conviction, according to court records. Yates has a revocation hearing set for 9:30 a.m. May 16. At that time, Coker could reinstate his probation or sentence Yates to up to 10 years in prison.

A week and a half ago, Yates was arrested in Lufkin after his Angelina County-based probation officer saw him driving a vehicle without the Interlock system, one of the conditions of his probation, according to Angelina County Adult Probation Supervisor Dustin Fore. Although Yates is on probation in Polk County, the court system has allowed Angelina County to supervise him. Yates violated the terms of his probation the first time in June 2007, after failing a mandatory drug screen. At that time, he was sentenced to 90 days in rehab after spending 12 days in jail, the story stated. Yates owns and operates local radio stations Y�100, Super Mix 101.9, Hot 96.3, KRBA 1340 AM and ESPN 1260.