Governor Abbott snubs area State Rep, Appraisal District drops Cherokee County in official name

Travis Clardy is against school choice and sends his own kids to private school. (Courtesy: KETK)

According to Greg Abbott's recent cease and desist letter, Texas House Rep. Travis Clardy (District 11) is falsely claiming the governor endorses him for re-election. Clardy has been sent to Austin for over a decade while drugs, crime, poverty, and illegal aliens have taken over his District. His counties include Nacogdoches, Shelby, Rusk, Newton, Sabine, and Panola. He represented Cherokee County through last year's redistricting (Source: Ballotpedia). 

Texas House District 11 would lose Cherokee County and pick up new territory to the east under a draft proposal being considered in the Texas Legislature. “I have been so proud to get to know and represent the folks of Cherokee County,” Clardy said in a video address to constituents Friday. (Source:  Oct. 5, 2021 Daily Sentinel)

Cherokee County has no Democrat Primary this March and all Republican incumbent candidates are unchallenged, even their Precinct 4 Constable currently under indictment (Source: Grand jury indicts Cherokee County constable on assault charge, KLTV) Hence zero reporting of local uncontested elections to keep potential rivals at bay. They can pretend to just sweep into office.

In neighboring Nacogdoches County, Travis Clardy faces Republican challenger Joanne Shofner. Shofner and Clardy both reside in Nacogdoches; she gets endorsements from Greg Abbott, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and numerous conservative organizations. Travis Clardy is endorsed by the teachers union pushing Critical Race Theory and LGBTQ crap. Clardy has also used snippets of Governor Abbott’s past feigned praise during his campaign, resulting in a ‘Cease and Desist’ threat directly from the governor’s office. Abbott makes it perfectly clear that he does not endorse Travis Clardy’s reelection. This election is not all about school choice vouchers, even with inappropriate teacher-student relationships on the rise in East Texas. It's about the backstabbing bullshit going on in the Texas House of Representatives, i.e. the RINO-orchestrated coup to oust the duly elected Attorney General.

AG Ken Paxton's sham impeachment trial will have political consequences for years.

Many a Republican legislator will be dumbfounded when they are not endorsed for trying to remove  Ken Paxton on made up allegations. They claim to be "tough on the border" while at the same their colleagues are creating land deals for illegal alien settlements like Colony Ridge in Liberty County. Whether a poison pill or an actual attempt at controlling the Southern border, Governor Abbott has publicly drawn the line on illegal immigration and its effect on Texas communities. (Source: KETK, Feb 1, 2024)

"Nichols and Bailes made Colony Ridge possible"- Ken Paxton

 In an open letter to the governor, Attorney General Paxton points out that two Republican legislators representing Liberty County, State Senator Robert Nichols out of Jacksonville (SD 3) and State Rep. Ernest Bailes (HD 18), sponsored legislation in 2017 to create a self-governing Municipal Management District for Colony Ridge. This backroom deal was designed to enrich the developers and themselves at the expense of their own constituents. Nichols' and Bailes' hidden consent agenda legislation did not fall under the Texas Open Meetings Act, and did not have deliberations or a vote. 

READ HERE : AG KEN PAXTON'S FINDINGS TO THE GOVERNOR RE. COLONY RIDGE AND THE NICHOLS/BAILES HIDDEN AGENDA ITEMS.

"Colony Ridge is a huge problem... that's why we helped create it," say political ads for Ernest Bailes while Robert Nichols waits out his term.

Welcome to Colony Ridge, USA, courtesy the Republican Party of Texas

East Texas’ state and congressional representative districts have been gerrymandered for decades with little to no input thanks to the political ignorance and indifference of locals. Cherokee County was in Texas House District 11 in 2023 before being paired up with Anderson County in District 8 will little to no fanfare. Small town newspapers wait until the last minute to publish the roster of primary candidates and challengers. Cherokee County papers didn't bother to mention their handpicked shoo-ins for 2023. They don't want folks to know what's going on. Residents don’t know who they are voting for, where to vote, or what’s on the ballot. Voting sites are operated by partisan poll workers related to county clerks. Ballot boxes are taken home, left in car trunks, and go missing. Counting continues in secret long after polling places close. In between elections, the area is deliberately flooded with drugs and crime for local politicians to promise to fight. Local media perpetuate the lie of Republicans' chosen “conservative” contenders fighting for Christian values in Austin while they are all openly involved in shady land deals like Colony Ridge.

The federal government doesn't crack down until undocumented migrants are foreclosed on.

Homegrown East Texan Republicans are getting rich on anti-American real estate deals. Their scheme is to offer housing to the millions upon millions of illegal border crossers already living in Texas. To be anointed, State reps and senators stay mum on the growing illegal populations in their home districts. State senator Robert Nichols has never said a word publicly about how he set up the legal framework for Colony Ridge's deceptive financing. No mention of the exploding East Texas crystal meth epidemic or the thousand percent increase in crime moving in next door. Pseudo-conservatives claim to be “tough on the border,” while voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton for suing the Biden administration over the illegal alien invasion. They attend abortion rallies in Austin and pro-Life churches back home. Like Jacksonville's Robert Nichols, they're for paid maternity leave and pro-abortion at the same time. If their backroom legislation ever gets reported, their hometown newspapers sing their praises for screwing over their constituents. They just call it something else to fool everyone.

Cherokee County's Appraisal District has given themselves a makeover by dropping their perceived affiliation with the Cherokee County Tax Assessor Collector's office and changing their name. Not to be confused with the thieves in the Cherokee County courthouse, as of 2024 CCAD will be referred to as “Cherokee Central Appraisal District.”  (Source: Jacksonville Progress, Feb. 2, 2024)

Tax Assessor Collector clerk Gina Upshaw, indicted for stealing more than $430K - CBS19

An internal audit of Cherokee County offices and departmental accounts revealed a discrepancy of $431,375.91 related to the tax office. (Source:  Audit reveals over $430,000 missing from county tax office, July 12, 2022, Daily Progress)

With $430,000 stolen out of the Cherokee County Tax Office, and the former Tax Assessor bookkeepers’ embezzlement trial coming up in April, the Cherokee County Appraisal District board has voted to remove the word “County” from their official title. Other municipal facilities and parks have also dropped the word "County" from their Cherokee County designations. They don't want to be associated with the other maniacal elitist turds running the place into the ground. Those appealing any Cherokee County Appraisal District decisions will still contend with the Review Board's allies in the District Court. 

Thou doth protest thou property taxes too much

County judges and commissioners don't pay squat for their hundred acre homesteads. Those taxpayers who reside elsewhere and use their Cherokee County property for agricultural and recreational purposes continue to pay the brunt of the county revenue that goes "missing." The Cherokee County Appraisal District board of directors have blamed farm exemptions on skyrocketing property taxes, sanctioned their appointed Chief Appraiser to undervalue commercial property in millions of dollars to be passed on as "delinquent" school taxes, cheated the City of Jacksonville out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue; and forced their Section 8 rental properties' back taxes onto rural landowners. They pretend to be ignorant on how property values are certified with the State, offering conflicting numbers on tax roll levies to hide what they're doing. The name has changed, but are things really the same?

Local senator votes to impeach Texas AG on trumped up charges

 

Jacksonville's Robert Nichols joined in the sham impeachment by voting against Texas voters.

The Texas State GOP controlled both chambers of the 88th Legislature's regular session ( Jan. 10 through May 29, 2023). Instead of dealing with illegal immigration and fentanyl pouring across the open southern border, lowering property taxes; and keeping children safe in schools, a faction of alcoholic RINOs in the Texas House led by Speaker Dade Phelan (Beaumont) used the session as a coup against the duly elected Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton beat George P. Bush overwhelmingly during the 2022 primary run-offs. Boo-Hoo.

 

Not a single shred of evidence was presented in the 16 articles of impeachment- the same talking points created by the Bush/Rove team and picked up by the media to smear their political opponents. Democrat run newspapers continue the farce of "Paxon's legal troubles..." They even paid Paxton's other Republican challenger Louie Gohmert, who had a snowball's chance in hell becoming Texas' Attorney General, to pretend it was real. The goal is to have Joe Biden's DOJ railroad Ken Paxton out of office, opening the door for George P. & Associates, because they can't win a fair election. 

Ever wonder why nothing ever gets done in Washington DC or Austin?

The RINO class always sides against what is best for Texans. And unfortunately, factions of the Texas government along with former East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert take their marching orders from the politically defunct members of the Bush dynasty. 

 

The KISS ASS Party is united undermining the conservative agenda.

Congress is a whorehouse and the Texas House of Representatives is a drunken frat house. They don't give a rat's ass about what's best for Texas and line up like lemmings for the Bush family. Jacksonville's Robert Nichols showed his loyalty by voting on the record that Paxton was guilty of make-believe crimes that could never be proven. Kelly Hancock (Fort Worth) was the other Republican State Senator to vote to remove Paxton on concocted charges.

 

 Looking forward to the primaries.

State Senators Nichols and Hancock voted with Democrats to remove Ken Paxton. Both these esteemed Republicans knew the hearsay they voted to impeach on was patently false, yet they did so anyway, even after voting to dismiss four of the charges. Both are up for reelection in 2026, counting on their hometown media to cover up their constituents being stabbed in the back. Paxton's innocence gives them that much more access to out-of-state lobbyists at the public trough.

Only two Republicans crossed the aisle to vote in favor of conviction: Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills, who voted to impeach Paxton on 12 articles, and Robert Nichols of Jacksonville, who voted to impeach Paxton on 11 articles. (Source: Texas Tribune, Sept. 16, 2023)

"A senate trial is something you just wouldn't understand..." 

Nichols voted Yea Jeb! on Article 5 involving a grand jury investigation conducted by a State appointed prosecutor looking into federal law enforcement's alleged misconduct. After being raided by the FBI, Paxton donor and Austin real estate investor Nate Paul claimed a cabal of area businessmen tied to George P. Bush had forced his properties into foreclosure and into a rigged federal bankruptcy court. Even though Paul had lost no money, Paxton agreed to look into it. Kelly Hancock voted for Article 8 regarding the alleged pay-offs of whistleblower complaints against the State (that were delegated to Paxton's staff and the legislature ). No witness testimony detailing wrongdoing was introduced into evidence, including a no-show of Paxton's so-called paid "mistress."

You can bet everyone in Ken Paxton's circle is being electronically monitored by the "granite countertop" police.

Whenever AG Paxton did his job, Bush loyalists accused him of a crime. Once under oath, House prosecutors' and their witness' litany of conjecture and lies crumbled under simple cross examination. House Impeachment Managers even convinced a retired Texas Ranger to make a fool out of himself on the stand, hoping to give their horseshit some gravitas. They made the whole thing up.

"Look at me... I'm not a lying piece of shit."

After millions of tax dollars wasted, the duly elected Texas Attorney General was acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment. Primaried House Republicans who voted to have a sham trial in the senate will claim "they just needed to see the [non-existent] evidence" they were told "was overwhelming..."    Meanwhile, actual corruption and nepotism is ignored by those who owe their political careers to the dwindling influence of the Bush/Cheney clan in Crawford, TX. They invest in wide open border policies to keep the familial money flowing in their anti-American get rich schemes. Wonder where all those millions of illegal aliens crossing the border wind up?

Coming to a town near you. 

"Why Colony Ridge Should Serve As A Warning To The Rest Of The Nation" - US Rep Brian 10/5/23

Any voter wondering why their communities are overrun with crime and drugs can simply look at the shysters they put in office. Ever heard of the illegal alien haven Colony Ridge? The 50-square miles of investment real estate in Robert Nichols' southern most senatorial district he helped finagle? In 2017, Nichols squeezed in "local and uncontested" legislation to allow Colony Ridge land developers to give "owner financed" home loans to tens of thousands of illegal aliens. (Source: HB 4341, 2017) Now the Mexican drug cartels have overrun the Liberty County school districts with drugs and overwhelmed municipal services with an estimated 50,000 plus in new unvetted residents. Closer to home, Robert Nichols has the lowest conservative rating of every Republican in the Texas State Senate. 

 

As usual, it's all a big fat lie.

Bottom line is Robert Nichols is an uppity part-time con artist raised in East Texas good ol’ boy subterfuge. It's exciting to be part of a clandestine clique, like George Walker Bush back in the old CIA days. Nichols enjoys the back-room double-dealing as much as the shrimp cocktail dinners he attends. He is cut from the same cloth as other two-faced RINOs who take credit for all the pro-Life bills that get passed, while holding them up in committee and voting against them. He gets to fool everybody back home. And that is exactly what the idiots who put him in office want. Come election season, local newspapers will claim Senator Nichols "shares our conservative East Texas values," while in reality he routinely sides with liberal Democrats and against basic Judeo-Christian principles. The leftist Texas Tribune agrees:

At the least conservative end of the GOP ideological spectrum is a single senator, Robert Nichols of Jacksonville. Nichols has a Lib-Con Score that is significantly less conservative than those of 17 of his 18 Republican colleagues. (Analysis: The 2023 Texas Senate, from right to left, Texas Tribune- June 21, 2023)

Local paper chums up pedophile cop

 

Officer Seth Vanover hauled in for catfishing kids.

A recent outdoors section of the Jacksonville Progress highlighted Longview police officer and fishing guide Seth Vanover's passion for casting off in the Lake Fork reservoir in North East Texas. The contributing feature is from Carbon TV www.carbontv.com, an online video channel for recreational outdoosrmen.  The article was published in May 2022 and picked up by local newspapers. Vanover was arrested 5 months later for using social messaging apps to entice an 11-year-old child in Florida to engage in sex. He was also busted with child porn on the cellphone he carried around in his patrol car.

This past week, I joined my long time friend guide Seth Vanover and nephew [B.P.] (retired guide) for a few hours of red hot shallow water channel catfish catching at Lake Fork. This was not my first time to partake of this annual fishing fiesta and definitely not Seth’s. Each year about this time, we set aside a morning to fish together when the fish are up in very shallow pockets, feeding on spawning shad and worms and insects washed into the lake from recent rainfall... (Source: Cats under a cork, May 12, 2022 Daily Progress)

To Catch a Predator: Kids under a cork

Lt. Seth Vanover was netted in October 2022 during an out of state FBI sting.  While local newspapers celebrated his promotion with the Longview Police Department, Vanover was chatting it up online with undercover federal agents in Florida posing as like-minded child sex predators.

[Vanover] resigned his position as a lieutenant with the Longview Police Department, used cellphones and personal computers (including hardware owned by the City of Longview) to use social media apps. While using those apps, based on chatlogs provided in the affidavit, it appears that Vanover believed he was speaking with adults who would let him perform sexual acts on their children. (Source: KSLA 12)

Vanover pleaded guilty in August 2023 and faces up to life in prison.  From the Florida State Attorney press release:

Vanover confirmed that he was “into yung” and sent the agent several photos depicting child erotica as well as a photo of a nude adult male. Vanover and the undercover agent discussed the sexual experience of the purported 11-year-old “child,” and Vanover stated that he would “love to” meet them in Florida and would “love to be naked with” the “child.” Vanover and the agent engaged in more conversations on the app on August 8 and 10, 2022, and September 19, 2022, during which the two discussed meeting in Florida so that Vanover could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Vanover confirmed with the agent that the “child” was “open to have sex,” discussed details of the sexual acts that Vanover intended to perform on the “child,” and directed the agent to “[t]alk to [the “child”] about the intended sexual activity.”

On October 12, 2022, FBI agents arrested Vanover at the Longview Police Department and Vanover resigned on that same day. Agents searched a patrol vehicle used by Vanover and recovered a cellphone that belonged to Vanover. A review of the phone revealed that it contained at least 230 videos and 130 photos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants, toddlers, and young children. This phone also contained sexually explicit online written communications that Vanover had with other app users, as well as child sexual abuse videos and photos that Vanover received during some of these conversations.  (Source: United States Attorney's Office Middle District of Florida)

No comment from Vanover's superiors or East Texas authorities on how he was spending his time on duty.

The Jacksonville Progress did not know the "tour guide" in their May 12, 2022 edition was fishing for sex with little girls, while simultaneously showing off his own preschool son at the lake. However, they did venture out of their comfort zone to publish multiple puff pieces about a Longview police officer up in North East Texas to aggrandize him throughout the region. Each article dating back to 2016 was written for local consumption, courtesy of his best friend, a contributing outdoor sports writer in the area with ties to small town newspapers. The children's whereabouts in Vanover's personal kiddie porn collection have not been released.

As a footnote, on Wednesday, Dec 20, 2023, Officer Seth Vanover was sentenced to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison, probated to 15-years supervision as a life-time registered sex offender. (Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida)

According to court documents obtained by the Longview News-Journal, a man, who was identified as Vanover, had conversations with two undercover FBI agents via social media that show he wanted to have sex with a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old girl. The app was also reached on devices registered to the city of Longview.

Vanover admitted to trying to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an 11-year-old girl to having sex using communication on cell phones and Internet devices. 

A conversation from July 2022 show messages from a different FBI agent and an account called "jattleson." The account "jattleson" was interested in meeting the agent's girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter. 

At one point in the messages, the agent asks how old "jattleson" is. The user says 44 and then sends a photo a nude man standing in front of a bathroom mirror, the document detailed. 

The man behind the "jattleson" account said he's always wanted to have sex with a girl. Through a subpoena, the FBI learned the contact associated with that account was Seth Vanover and the city of Longview was the subscriber, according to the complaint. 

Vanover was arrested on Oct. 12, 2022 at the Longview Police Department and he resigned the same day, On his cell phone in his patrol car, a search found 234 videos and 133 photos showing the sexual abuse of children, including infants, toddlers, and other young children, according to the Department of Justice. 

Officials also found sexually explicit online communications that Vanover had with other app users, as well as child sexual abuse videos and photos that Vanover asked for and received during some of these conversations.  (Source CBS19)

 

Jacksonville meth supplier sentenced in federal court; It takes crack to crack the case

2/16/22 - Pablo Antonio Sandoval, 200 block Tilley St. Jacksonville, TX

 

Jacksonville, TX:

In February 2022, Pablo Sandoval was busted with crystal meth and a stolen gun during an early morning traffic stop near his home in Jacksonville, TX. He was held in Gregg County jail under a federal detainer for drug trafficking, and after pleading guilty, eventually moved to Henderson County custody to await his sentencing in US District Court.  

Cherokee County, TX arrests for Feb. 15-21, 2022:

Pablo Antonio Sandoval, 23, Jacksonville, theft of firearm, no drivers licence [sic], traffic offense Class C, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

(Source: Jacksonville Progress)

Pablo Sandoval, 200 block Tilley St., Jacksonville, TX (courtesy Henderson Co.)

Crystal meth dealers living in Cherokee County travel throughout East Texas, delivering drugs and mayhem to neighboring counties. Low income housing, cheap hotels, RV parks and converted half-way homes are used as layovers for drug mules monitored by multiple agencies. Local addicts are in and out of jail based on the amount of snitching they can provide, no matter their escalating risk to the public. Resident crackheads are worth their weight in Narcotic Task Force funding.

10 years ago, Jacksonville City Council rezoned former dormitory buildings from defunct Lon Morris College into multifamily Section 8 apartments along Sunset and Tilley St. where Pablo Sandoval lived.

After the college went into bankruptcy, owner Tilley LLC took control of the property with the intention of combining pairs of the 38 smallish dorm rooms into roughly 22 larger apartments. There are some proposed "double bedrooms" in the plans, each of which will require three dorm rooms to be put together to create, [Jacksonville Public Works Director Will] Cole said. (Source: City Council rezones so former Lon Morris dorms can be converted to apartments, Jan. 10, 2013 Jacksonville Daily Progress)

23-year old Pablo Sandoval, who was born in California, admitted to distributing large amounts of crystal meth in Cherokee County after he was detained by Jacksonville PD in February 2022. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking last year in federal court and in April 2023, sentenced to 14 years.  (Source: KETK)

The "California man" as they call him, supplied crystal meth to his Jacksonville neighbors in October 2021, but wasn't actually incarcerated until February 2022 when he was picked up in the wee morning hours. Apparently he just rode around town for 4 months without a driver's license... even though the newspaper and Henderson County reported his Jacksonville, Texas residency.

From the US Attorney's Eastern District of Texas press release April 19, 2023:

California Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking Violations in East Texas -            

According to information presented in court, in October 2021, [Pablo] Sandoval supplied more than 500 grams of methamphetamine to drug dealers in Cherokee County, Texas, which he sourced from suppliers in California. Sandoval was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas in April 2022. (Source: DOJ)

United States v. Sandoval, 6:21-CR-00081-JDK

When a Nacogdoches, TX resident is sentenced for the same drug trafficking charges in the same US District Court, and on the same docket as Pablo Sandoval, the meth dealer is referred to a "Nacogdoches man" -  not by where his suppliers are located. (Source: April 28, 2023, Nacogdoches man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking- KETK)

 

The same US District Court that sentences female embezzlers to federal prison for stealing from non-profits, totally ignores over $430,000 stolen by the Cherokee County Tax Assessor's office.

East Texas authorities at the state and federal level attempt to blame other areas of the country for the crystal meth they know is manufactured in Cherokee County, Texas. As if 23-year old Pablo Sandoval was driving back and forth from Bakersfield, California with no driver's license to sell his homegrown East Texas poison. Cherokee County has a fine history of constables and police chiefs cooking up meth labs in the woods, a Jacksonville police officer raping transient women, girls being snatched from abuse shelters and their dead bodies dumped like trash;  and unindicted Tax Assessor officials stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars out the Rusk, TX courthouse.  

The more the local drug addicts steal, the more narcotics enforcement grant money the county can steal. 

(April 21, 2023- Vehicle theft ring investigation in Cherokee County leads to 4 arrests, 1 still at large,  KETK)

As a footnote, Cherokee County is patting themselves on the back for rounding up their favorite resident recidivist meth addicts, each averaging about a dozen catch-and-release arrests in the last few years, and charging the group with "Organized Crime."  Their court mandated drug rehab at the Rusk State Hospital has escalated into Grand Theft Auto. One member of the group, Edward Jones, is still at large after being released in Cherokee County last year for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon on top of multiple drug arrests here, there, and everywhere.

Edward Lee Jones, Jacksonville TX

Cherokee County, TX arrests and releases:

03/25/2021 F.T.A. POSS MARIJ < 2OZ(CCSO) - Bond: $5000

02/10/2022 POSS CS PG 1/1-B >= 4G < 200G - Bond: $20000
POSS CS PG 1/1-B < 1G

02/28/2022 POSS CS PG 1/1-B <1G (JPD WARRANT)  - Bond: $2500.00 

05/21/2022 AGG ASSLT W/DEADLY WEAPON - Bond: $25000

02/07/2023  THEFT OF SERV >= $100 < $750 - Bond: $1000
THEFT OF SERV >= $100 < $750 - Bond: $1000
UNAUTH USE OF VEHICLE  - Bond: $2500
BURGLARY OF BUILDING - Bond: $2500 

Footnote: fugitive Edward Jones was picked up in the Dallas area in mid June for stealing and shipped back home. He is facing facing theft / organized crime charges with a total $90,000 bond. The tattoos on his face gave him away.

 

 .

Edward Jones (courtesy Dallas PD)

Murdering drug snitches turn state's evidence- Part 1

 

 

Capital murder suspect Dylan Welch from Jacksonville, TX gets to live to tell his tale the way it was told to him.

New Summerfield, TX: 

Friday February 3, 2023 - Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth announced he would not be seeking the death penalty for Dylan Welch, one of the three defendants from the July 21, 2021 quadruple murder of four New Summerfield residents. (Source: CBS 19) Beckworth was able to flip his favorite of the three currently incarcerated homicide suspects by taking lethal injection off the table and getting the Dylan Welch defense team the most sober court appointed attorney on the Rusk square. Welch will be testifying against fellow drug informants Jesse Pawlowski and Billy Phillips, who both remain eligible for capital punishment. Until one of them admits to only driving the stolen getaway car. (Source: Prosecution will not seek death penalty for 1 of 3 Cherokee County quadruple homicide suspects, KETK)

Stolen 2017 Dodge Challenger (Source: Daily Progress)

 

Cherokee County DA office meets their murder case quota by releasing violent drug offenders.

From July 2021 - Three career criminals in Jacksonville, TX have been arrested and charged with the capital murder of four residents in nearby New Summerfield, TX. The bodies of John Clinton, Jeff Gerla, Ami Hickey, and Amanda Barnes were found in a home in the 1600 block of Hwy 101 N. (Source: CBS 19) The three suspects have avoided past prosecution and tough sentencing by agreeing to be confidential informants for Cherokee County law enforcement. All three have been arrested and released for similar crimes in the last few years, despite being on Supervised Probation.

Left to Right : Jesse James Pawlowski age 20, Dylan Welch age 21, and Billy Dean Phillips age 37 (Source: KLTV)

 

Jesse Pawlowski and Dylan Welch both have probated burglary convictions buried in the 2nd Judicial District court; absconding sex offender Billy Phillips was arrested by Jacksonville Police and released 2 weeks prior to the killings. Pawlowski was reported to have been in an polyamorous relationship with two of the victims. The Cherokee County Sheriff Department issued a statement concluding the killings resulted in a dispute over "guns and clothes," not mentioning the extensive drug use and stolen 2017 Dodge Challenger that led to their arrests. Sheriff Dickson's version of events excluded that all three had been in and out of Cherokee County custody while escalating their crime sprees. (Source: KETK)

Cherokee County's chickens come home to roost

It is Cherokee County's policing policy to catch and release drug addicts and violent criminals to bolster their counterfeit crime statistics for federal funding.

Prison ministries are used by the District Attorney's office to recruit sex offenders to sit on Cherokee County jury pools. Local drug addicts are shuffled into worthless treatment programs so the State can be hourly billed for nonexistent rehabilitation. They get arrested and re-arrested all the time but very rarely see the inside of a courtroom. Friendly neighborhood potheads who could easily be picked up at the Treatment Center for failing their urinalysis, often get their parties crashed by the Po Po during election cycles. Resident crackheads are caught and released with no bail to encourage them to escalate their crime sprees. What results is a show of force by small town police units for news cameras, while chicken shit prosecutors pretend to enforce the law.

Police tank vs. mobile home

 

Jacksonville, TX : 1/17/23 SWAT standoff with resident drug addicts hiding a stolen gun (Source: Barricaded man taken into custody by SWAT team in Cherokee County, KETK)

 

Lionel Charles, Jr. is such a threat to SWAT, they him released 4 times in 2022 without setting bail.

Lionel Joseph Charles Jr., 34, was arrested for drug possession and released WITH NO BOND in Cherokee County on four separate occasions in the last year alone. On January 17, 2023, he barricaded himself in a mobile home during a SWAT raid in Jacksonville, TX. Prior to that he had been arrested and released on multiple marijuana, crack cocaine, theft, and credit card abuse charges.

Lionel Charles has been in and out of drug offenders programs, courtesy of Cherokee County taxpayers and the 2nd Judicial District Court.

Criminal Docket Case 20217 ; FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT ELDERLY
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs CHARLES, LIONEL JOSEPH JR
Filed 10/24/2016 - Disposition: 01/19/2017 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket Case 20218 ; UNAUTH USE OF VEHICLE
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs CHARLES, LIONEL JOSEPH JR
Filed 10/24/2016 - Disposition: 01/17/2017 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket; Case 20219 ; POSS CS PG 1 <1G
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs CHARLES, LIONEL JOSEPH JR
Filed 10/24/2016 - Disposition: 01/19/2017 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket; Case 21256 ; CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD ABUSE
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs CHARLES, LIONEL JOSEPH JR
Filed 09/12/2019 - Disposition: 11/06/2019 Conviction-guilty plea or nolo cont-no jury
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket; Case 22188 ; UNKNOWN
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs CHARLES, LIONEL JOSEPH JR
Filed 08/29/2022 - Disposition:
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Cherokee County releases drug addicts and thieves without bond so they can be followed around town.

Jail records prove Lionel Charles was released unconditionally on his own recognizance (OR) the last four times he was busted, so he could reoffend and lead authorities to the next neighborhood crack house sting. This most recent Jan. 17, 2023 raid was conducted by the Jacksonville Police Department; a stolen firearm and other property were recovered without incident. Jacksonville resident Patrick Long was also arrested for the Gun Theft. (Source: Officials identify suspect involved in SWAT standoff in Cherokee County, KLTV)

Patrick Ryan Long,  aka "Junior," "Big Bad Wolf," and "Fat Pat" 1/17/23 

"Hurry up and go steal something, boy!" 

Patrick Long had just been released on theft charges back in September 2022 with no recorded Bond. Despite multiple arrests by Jacksonville PD, many of his charges have never been prosecuted by the district attorney. The county gets to bill for similar suspects' never-ending substance abuse rehab, who dons such colorful nicknames for the staff.

09/16/2022 -THEFT PROP >= $2,500 < $30K; released no Bond
09/16/2019 - Terroristic threat against family member; Bond: $2500
06/19/2019 - Assault family violence; Bond: $2000
03/08/2019 - Assault Class C; released no Bond
09/13/2018 - Burglary Of Habitation; bond: $30000
08/02/2018 - Assault Peace Officer/ Resist arrest; Bond: $22000
01/08/2018 - Assault Peace Officer/ Resist arrest / threaten family violence; Bond: $22000
09/30/2016 - Discharge of firearm in city limits; citation
04/06/2016 - Terroristic threat; Bond: $1500
07/03/2015 - POSS MARIJ < 2OZ; Bond: $1000
09/04/2010 - charges reduced to Class C misdemeanor
09/13/2006 - POSS MARIJ < 2OZ; Bond: $750
04/21/2004 - Disorderly conduct/ Drug Paraph/ Traffic exhibition accel - released 

 (Courtesy: texas.arrests.org)

As a footnote, another violent drug spree with hostages and SWAT took place Tuesday, January 24, 2023 in southern Cherokee County. Three local drug addicts with long criminal histories were arrested for attempting to kidnap residents in a trailer park north of Wells, according to Tyler based media. (Source: 3 arrested in alleged kidnapping, assault in Wells, KETK)

Alice Hayes, Wesley Wallace, and Chad Campbell (courtesy KETK)

Alice Hayes and Wesley Wallace were charged with aggravated kidnapping w/deadly weapon; Chad Campbell was charged for drug possession. The three suspects live in the Wells, TX community. (Source: KLTV) Cherokee County newspapers remain silent on the incident.

 

Such a safe place to raise a family. (Source KLTV)

Stolen: over $430,000 from Cherokee County tax office (and they won't report who did it)

They won't tell you who stole $431,375 out of the Cherokee County, TX courthouse over a 5 year period. 

Every wonder why your property taxes keep going through the roof each year? It was quietly reported in July 2022 that the Texas Rangers were investigating the disappearance of over $430,000 in funds from the Cherokee County, TX Tax Assessor-Collector's office.  (Source: Funds missing from Cherokee County tax office, KLTV) After all the hemming and hawing with the County Appraisal District's property tax shortfalls, even blaming "clerical data entry mistakes," there is a simple reason why the county tax roll levy doesn't match what is reported to the State Comptroller. (Source: Jacksonville council calls for chief appraiser’s removal,  Jacksonville Progress)

County commissioners gear up to sue courthouse thief before their unnamed coworker is charged. Or will she ever be charged?

Will she be indicted by her cousins at all? After several forensic audits, $431,375.91 was confirmed stolen between 2015 and 2021 by an elected official in the Cherokee County Tax Assessor's Office.  Instead of publishing the name of the former Cherokee County official responsible for the missing money, the Cherokee County Commissioners Court is suing the unnamed female embezzler in Civil Court with the help of Tyler based attorneys Flowers Davis PLLC. (Source: County leaders to pursue civil suit in tax office theft case, Cherokeean)

In 2021, an internal audit of the Tax Assessor’s Office revealed county documents did not match what was reported to the state comptroller, said the Cherokeean.

Another audit was conducted by an outside company, and they also found there was an inconsistency and that $431,375.91 was missing, said officials. This was allegedly taken between 2015 and 2021 by an employee who had worked for the county for several years, according to the Cherokeean.  (Source: Cherokee County Commissioners Court votes to begin civil suit after money stolen from county tax office, KETK)

Cherokee County Commissioner's Court "...we're gonna get that money back from her, but we ain't gonna tell you who stole it..." (Courtesy: Jacksonville Progress)

 

 

Putting the cart before the horse.

With countywide elections around the corner, County Commissioners are eager to appear on top of the $430,000 stolen out from under their noses. They've announced a lawsuit against a still unnamed and unindicted defendant who is apparently related to members on the last two sitting 2022 Grand Juries. This gives the District Attorney's office time to wrangle with the thief's cousins behind closed doors before a potential trial jury is hand-picked and she is offered a settlement. Of course local media doesn't question the bass-ackwards civil suit against an undisclosed former county employee who hasn't been charged with an actual crime. In the interim you are to assume a low level courthouse clerk is capable of doctoring the books of nearly half a million dollars reported to the State Comptroller. They wouldn't lie to you...

Friends in low places

Will Elmer Beckworth recuse himself?

The "investigation" into the missing $430,000 began in January 2022; it was hidden from the public for 7 months until being leaked to the press in July 2022.  It's been over a year since the initial audit confirmed the stolen $430,000 and there are no reports of any criminal charges being filed by good friend Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth who works in the same building as the thief.  As does Chris Davis and the entire Commissioners Court. She always brought cookies for everyone...

Gina Upshaw, (4th from the left) et al are lauded with their 15-year service awards, circa 2019 (Jacksonville Progress).

 "Just pay back what you can and don't talk to nobody..."

 

 Missing vs. Stolen

Audit reveals over $430,000 missing from county tax office, July 13, 2022- Jacksonville Progress

An internal audit of Cherokee County offices and departmental accounts revealed a discrepancy of $431,375.91 related to the tax office.

“Red flags were discovered by my internal auditor in doing a routine part of the audit that initially drew our attention to this,” said Cherokee County Auditor Steven Daughety. “We did do an audit report. Those findings were turned over to the D.A. because of our concerns with it.”

The information was presented to the district attorney on January 12, 2022, according to Daughety. 

District Attorney Elmer Beckworth confirmed only that the Texas Rangers were investigating the matter and that, if the missing amount is proven, the offense would be considered a felony. When questioned about the forensic auditor Daughety said was retained, Beckworth would only speak in generalities, stating the hire of a forensic auditor in such cases would be standard procedure. (Source: Daily Progress, July 13, 2022)

Where are the feds and the Attorney General?

Cherokee County voters are supposed to remain in the dark while their tax dollars are embezzled in the Rusk courthouse. Imagine the response in neighboring Smith County (with a population and budget 5 times the size of Cherokee County) if a mere $4500 went missing from the county tax rolls.  The suspected official's name and face would be all over the 6 o'clock news. Commissioners jumping the gun with a civil suit, before a criminal case has been made by the District Attorney's office, portends the Dog & Pony Show leading up to the May election cycle.  Local media does not make the correlation between hiding the identity of government thieves and their incentive to keep stealing. Obviously, they're all in on it.

Footnote 6/2/23: Gina Upshaw, 62 from Rusk TX was formerly indicted by a Cherokee County grand jury for stealing $431,375.91 from taxpayers during her tenure as Tax Assessor bookkeeper. Of course, no one in the Rusk courthouse has ever met her, or laid eyes on her. They do hope you enjoy your ever increasing property tax hikes (Source: Cherokee County tax office bookkeeper indicted for theft, money laundering, KETK).

Gina Upshaw receives 15-year service award, circa 2019 (Jacksonville Progress).

Gina Upshaw, was employed for 18 years at the Rusk courthouse with the County Clerk's office, and later handpicked by the Commissioners Court as the Cherokee County Tax Assessor Collector Bookkeeper.  (courtesy KETK)

DPS hides identity of hostage taker with prior convictions

Another weekend, another hostage standoff with a resident drug snitch disturbing the peace after violating probation. Another cover up lead by the local chapter of the Texas Rangers when they don't want the public to know the facts. Area authorities have no problem telling the obedient East Texas media who to report on, and who not to, after polishing their Rogues Gallery of busted criminals each week. 

 

 

 

 

 

How to No-Bill a guy holding a gun on his own family after putting him on probation for Aggravated Robbery? Send him back home and don't tell anybody who he is.

In the 2nd Judicial District Court of Texas:

• Burglary and Armed Robbery =  2 years adjudicated probation

• Domestic Violence and Bodily Injury = 6 months probation

• Holding your family hostage and getting shot by SWAT in your own front yard = no grand jury

• An anonymous ride to the emergency room with police escort = priceless 

 Jacksonville, TX: 

 

On Saturday, November 26, 2022, the Jacksonville Police were dispatched to a home at the 36600 block of US-69 N after a man called 911 claiming to be holding his wife and daughter hostage. Responding officers shot the armed suspect in self defense, after he failed to comply and menacingly approached their vehicles. He was carted off to the local hospital for recovery and to sober up; the wife and daughter were uninjured.  (Source: Man shot after allegedly holding wife and daughter hostage in Jacksonville, KETK )

 

 

 

According to the DPS, the 911 hostage suspect is so dangerous he needs to remain anonymous. (Courtesy: KETK)

 

Names have not been released pending an "investigation" by the Texas Rangers. East Texas news is too timid to request body cam footage or the suspect's criminal history. It's too embarrassing to see the sweet deal struck with the District Attorney's office back in the day. It's also embarrassing for the Sheriff Department to report a local armed robber's probated sentence in Carl Phillips' Adult Probation Department.

 

Carl Phillips, head of Cherokee County Probation and convicted child molester.

 

Each week for over 30 years, Cherokee County newspapers lavished praise and adoration on a resident pedophile grooming his way up the ladder to Director of the Probation Department. They reported Carl Phillip's post-retirement conviction for stealing from the county, then ceased when he was busted for child molestation. Hiding crimes is nothing new to them, especially when it makes the county look bad. The most recent hostage situations and drug related homicides in the county are prime examples of them misleading the public. 

 

Even though last week's shooting of the armed suspect threatening his family and law enforcement was justifiable by all accounts, the DPS won’t be disclosing the suspect’s prior convictions. There are mandatory minimal sentencing requirements under State law that for some reason, Cherokee County's District Attorney loves to ignore. Such as Burglary and Armed Robbery sentences of only 2 years concurrent probation. Plea deals for Domestic Violence / Bodily Injury result in 6-month probation sentences in the 2nd Judicial District Court when defendants are recruited by District Attorney investigators to snitch on fellow drug users.

Criminal Docket Case 10715 : BURGLARY OF BUILDING
Filed 07/20/1988 - Disposition: 02/08/1989 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket Case 11359 : AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Filed 08/29/1990 - Disposition: 01/29/1991 Conviction-guilty plea or nolo cont-no jury, Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket Case 14031 : THEFT PROP>=$1,500<$20K
Filed 06/28/1999 - Disposition: 07/31/2001 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket Case 54579 : ASSAULT BODILY INJURY FAMILY VIOLENCE     
Filed 06/03/2013 - Disposition: 12/11/2013 Deferred adjudication
2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

 

Lazy prosecutors making deals with habitual criminals knowingly leads to escalated violence against the public and law enforcement.

 

 

Suspect's name withheld indefinitely after being shot during standoff. (Courtesy: KLTV)

 

This guy's name also won't be on the lips of the upcoming Grand Jury as long as the suspect's family doesn't sue the Jacksonville Police Department for shooting him in the ass. Daddy will be released on minimum bail courtesy of taxpayers, and back home soon if he agrees to continue using his John Doe alias around town. And stop calling 911 when he's beating his wife unconscious in front of the kids.

 

 

 To Catch a Predator, Cherokee County, TX edition.

 

One day earlier on Friday, November 25, 2022 another Jacksonville, TX resident with priors was arrested for Attempted Kidnapping and Aggravated Assault. Ledarrious Grady, 31 is currently being held on a $75,000 bond. Grady did not call 911 or cause a SWAT situation like the suspect who was shot and released the following day. Grady is black so he doesn't get a Get Out of Jail Free Card.  (Source:  Jacksonville man arrested for alleged aggravated assault, kidnapping, KETK)

Ledarrious Grady, Jacksonville TX

12/8/2022: As a footnote, the wounded suspect has been released from UT Health -Jacksonville, booked in Cherokee County jail and waiting on his momma to come get him. Lucky for him, he shares a cellblock with former ETMC ER doctor Karl Kauffman, facing additional charges of molesting his kids.

 

Dr. Karl Kauffman, UT Health (Source: Medical Board suspends license of doctor accused of molesting child, Lufkin Daily News) 

1/22/2023: Ledarrious Deshun Grady, 31, was arrested again for DUI while out on bail for his previous ASSAULT and KIDNAPPING charges in Cherokee County back in early December. Just keep on keepin' on.

Ledarrious Grady, Jacksonville TX, 1/22/2023

 

 

 

 

Paroled drug snitch holds family hostage; Jacksonville Police Chief steps down

Career criminals avoid prosecution by working with Cherokee County narcotics enforcement.

Drug dealers and habitual thieves have their parole violation warrants dismissed after pulling guns, assaulting victims, and running from arresting officers. It's a game of cat-and-mouse. By giving up their fellow meth users, they avoid Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon charges and have state jail felonies dismissed despite prior convictions. Of course they escalate their drug use and always reoffend while they're out on bail. Law enforcement who release them believe the public is too stupid to figure out what is going on.

Justin Ray, Jacksonville TX busted 8/24/2022

Justin Odell Ray, 32, of Jacksonville, TX was arrested for the umpteenth time for holding a gun on a group of people during a crystal meth binge. East Texas media incredulously reports Ray's in-and-out parole journey beginning early this year in Cherokee County. In March, Justin Ray had a parole violation warrant issued for drug possession charges; he was arrested by Jacksonville PD and released without a parole hearing.

Justin Ray, busted 6/2/2022

In June, Justin Ray was charged with assault and evading arrest, and again released. In August this year, the Texas Pardon and Parole issued another warrant for Ray's arrest, which led a few days later to a foot chase with local SWAT. Ray had pulled a gun and threatened to kill some folks in the interim.  (Source: East Texas man arrested, accused of multiple parole violations, holding family at gun point KETK)

Justin Ray, circa 2007

Criminal Docket; Case 17350 and Case 17351 ; BURGLARY OF HABITATION
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs RAY, JUSTIN ODELL
Filed 12/17/2008 - Disposition: 06/11/2009 Conviction-guilty plea or nolo cont-no jury
2nd District Court, District Clerk, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket; Case 19183 ; AGG ASSAULT W/DEADLY WEAPON
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs RAY, JUSTIN ODELL
Filed 05/27/2014 - Disposition:
2nd District Court, District Clerk, Cherokee County, Texas

Criminal Docket; Case 19248 ; POSS CS PG 1 <1G
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs RAY, JUSTIN ODELL
Filed 05/27/2014 - Disposition: 03/18/2016 Dismissed-insufficient evidence
2nd District Court, District Clerk, Cherokee County, Texas

Justin Ray has been a stoolie for Cherokee County law enforcement for over a decade. Despite being a habitual parole violator, arrest after arrest have led to mediocre bonds and his immediate release. A small fraction of his charges were ever prosecuted. Ray's public rap sheet begins at the age 18 with arrests spanning several counties that include domestic violence on numerous occasions, burglary, assault, theft, drugs, and parole violations.  Who makes the decision to release a violent habitual parole violator back on the streets of Jacksonville to terrorize residents? KETK reports the Texas Pardon and Parole Board dismissed Ray's parole violation warrant back in March after he was charged with possessing and dealing crystal meth.

Texas Pardon and Parole lifted the March 2022 parole warrant for Ray’s arrest, “releasing him back into society.” 

He was found to be in possession of narcotics and ammunition at the time of his arrest, according to officials. (KETK)

In June 2022, Justin Ray was previously arrested by Jacksonville PD and released for:

#1 Evading Arrest or Detention with a Motor Vehicle
#2 Evading Arrest Detention
#3 Assault Causes Bodily Injury
#4 Parole Violation

In a matter of days, he was back out for his latest ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON crime spree.

The real question is,  who in Cherokee County pressures the Texas Pardon and Parole to lift warrants for a habitual criminal on parole for AGGRAVATED ASSAULT?

Jacksonville Police Chief Joe Williams

Chief Joe Williams has reportedly taken a few weeks sabbatical after a whistleblower made an anonymous complaint against him. On August 29, 2022, Williams voluntarily took administrative leave as the Jacksonville Police Department's dirty laundry is squelched by "outside" third party resources uninterested in alleged sexual misconduct. (Source: Jacksonville police chief placed on administrative leave following ‘allegation’ -KETK) The shakeup comes on the heels of the high profile Cody Roberts murder trial that resulted in a mistrial in March and a not guilty verdict a week earlier. (Source: Jury finds Cody Roberts not guilty of 2018 murder in Cherokee County - KETK) The trial highlighted the sloppiness of investigators and jurors' disbelief in the State's case.

In house fighting, finger pointing, and political shenanigans are common in small town rumor mills. Hopefully the allegations are not serious enough for any female complainant to be dismembered in some nearby National Forest.

Shunte Coleman, Jacksonville TX

"Forensic pathologist identifies remains of Texas woman missing since 2006" (Wikipedia)

The skeletal remains of Shunte Coleman, a missing person since 2006, have reportedly been found near the Angelina National Forest in the US state of Texas. On Friday, the San Augustine, Texas sherriff's department announced remains found in San Augustine by a forester earlier this year are a DNA match for Coleman.

A forensic anthropologist from Sam Houston State University assisted with the investigation and determined the findings matched Jacksonville resident Coleman.

In 2006 Coleman's family said the 26-year-old Shunte was likely dead. Connections were drawn between Coleman and Jacksonville Police Officer Larry Pugh, who was later sentenced in March 2007 to a twelve-year jail term for sex assault while on duty and retaliation against a witness.

Alto ISD manipulates enrollment, gets UIL suspension; Property tax disasters postponed

It's better to be a big fish in a small pond.

County Judge Chris Davis' alma mater is currently under a 3 year UIL probationary suspension for misreporting the number of students in attendance. Alto ISD football had been playing with the big boys in the 2A- Division I conference for several years. In 2021, they dropped themselves down to Division II after a long losing streak.

2A Division I: 165.5 - 229 students
2A Division II: 105 - 165.4 students

(Source: UIL)

On Aug 2, 2022, UIL ruled unanimously Alto High School football ineligible for playoffs for 2 years, and on probation for 3 years. They don't have a thousand kids to keep track of; there are less than 166 enrolled students per conference cutoffs.

The vote comes after violations of conference based enrollment reporting. The UIL said the Alto, TX school district turned in enrollment numbers that were not accurate and affected Alto in realignment which moved them into conference 2A-II instead of conference 2A-I. (Source: KLTV)

This is only newsworthy to regional football teams, however it is yet another example of the systemic flipping of facts of practically everything that comes out of Cherokee County. And the padding of enrollment numbers to get into a larger state football conference and the dropping of a few to get into a more competitive one when things don't work out. It is being reported the UIL Committee realigned Alto ISD because of an alleged "error" involving three late enrolled students. The football team has currently been playing the 2021-2022 season in the lower ranked 2A Division II. 

The Jacksonville Progress reports the UIL was alerted by two former employees that Alto ISD deliberately misrepresented enrollment numbers to remain in its winning football conference.

An allegation by two former Alto Independent School District employees, one of which resigned and the other terminated — was submitted to the UIL earlier this year stating that the district had under counted it students on Snap Shot Day (Oct. 30, 2021).

The UIL investigation revealed that the district's 163 number did not include three students who began class in the district on Oct. 19-20, 2021. These students were officially reported as being enrolled in the district on Nov. 1, 2021.

Dr. Jamey Harrison of the UIL reminded everyone that schools were sent a Snap Shot Verification form on Nov. 16, 2021, so that corrections could be made to the number submitted if needed.

Alto officials signed off on the form, confirming that the original number sent in was correct. (Source: UIL Executive Committee rules Alto football ineligible for district awards, Jacksonville Progress Aug. 2, 2022)

The fact the Alto ISD superintendent blames the high school counselor and principal for the SNAFU tells you exactly who is running this train.

Property owners get railroaded with defaulted school taxes.

Texas school districts are funded from county property taxes and directly from the state. As of 2022, each district receives an allotment of $6100 per student each year. Federal funding is also distributed based upon need and attendance. After years of misappropriations, reporting has ceased on how delinquent school taxes are resolved after being passed on to property owners.  To date, state government watchdogs have overlooked this reverse Robin Hood. They know if they start asking questions, so called "conservative" Cherokee County and neighboring counties would flip to Democrat in a New York minute. They'd rather watch the place implode.

One disaster after another.

Jacksonville and Rusk school districts voted to increase property taxes to cover their combined $1.7 million tax deficits, to avoid being penalized by the Texas Comptroller's Office. Commercial real estate appraisals came in 15% lower than actual market values according to MAPS audits conducted by the State in 2018 and 2019. (Source: Cherokee County Appraisal District fails state property study, Daily Progress Feb. 13, 2020) Timber and agricultural exemptions in rural areas were blamed for CCAD's tax shortfalls, not the commercial and Section 8 rental properties of board members.

Cherokee County TX Chief Appraiser: "This is insane."

Cherokee County blames the Tax Code for devaluing the property of those controlling the purse strings, and passing costs onto those not in the clique. It's just so "confusing and unfair" according to Chief Appraiser Lee Flowers who Jacksonville City Council recently voted unanimously to remove from office for a $5 million tax "mistake." The CCAD Board of Directors who own a big chunk of property in the area of course voted to keep Flowers on the county payroll.

The Jacksonville city council called for the removal of Cherokee County Chief Appraiser Lee Flowers in May 2021 over pending litigation from conflicting numbers on an amended tax roll levy.

City Manager Greg Smith stated the city had lost $200,000 in tax revenue as a result of the difference in original tax levies Flowers deemed "clerical data entry mistakes." (Source: Jacksonville Progress May 15, 2021)

Source: CCAD 2022 Newsletter

 (Click to view)

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has done "limited scope" property tax appraisal audits since the 2018 failures, thanks to County Judge Chris Davis and Governor Greg Abbott declaring Cherokee County a disaster area right in time to cleverly circumvent in-depth biennial MAPS reviews. Never forget, as Attorney General, Greg Abbot's office also did not pursue criminal charges against those who robbed Lon Morris out of existence, Texas' oldest Junior College. Offended locals would jump party lines if their kinfolk were exposed manipulating enrollment and Financial Aid. They were such good stewards of your tax dollars and public trust funds. Keep forking it over, folks. You know you love it.

Everyone gets good marks during election year.

They also hope you forget about the $431,375.91 stolen out of the Cherokee County Tax Assessor-Collector's office. Stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars each year out of the Rusk, TX courthouse apparently doesn't get the attention of the governor or Attorney General.

Funds missing from Cherokee County tax office - July 12, 2022

RUSK, Texas (KLTV) - Texas Rangers are investigating the disappearance of funds from the tax office in Cherokee County.

District Attorney Elmer Beckworth said the office notified him about missing funds and he forwarded the case to Texas Rangers.

Beckworth said he could not comment further on time periods or how much money was missing.

The county auditor’s office deferred comment to Beckworth. (Source: KLTV)

Audit reveals over $430,000 missing from county tax office - July 13, 2022

An internal audit of Cherokee County offices and departmental accounts revealed a discrepancy of $431,375.91 related to the tax office.

“Red flags were discovered by my internal auditor in doing a routine part of the audit that initially drew our attention to this,” said Cherokee County Auditor Steven Daughety. “We did do an audit report. Those findings were turned over to the D.A. because of our concerns with it.”

The information was presented to the district attorney on January 12, 2022, according to Daughety. (Source: Jacksonville Progress)