Jacksonville, Texas:
Several national and internationally owned companies, such as Alliance Data Systems and Astro Air have divested their businesses from the county due to downsizing and corporate reconstruction. The following Personal Injury lawsuits were filed in the last 4 years against Jacksonville TX based Astro Air in Cherokee County’s 2nd district court:
- Civil Docket; Case 2004030190; MORALES, EULALIA vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 2004030218; LAWSON, CARROL vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 2005030170; RESENDIZ, TERESA vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 951000794; ROBERTS, ARTHUR vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 96600493; MEADOR, CYNTHIA vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 98200091; ABERNATHY, RICHARD vs ASTRO AIR, INC.
- Civil Docket; Case 98500399; KUYKENDALL, TANYA HIGHT vs BAILEY, PATRICK JAMES, ASTRO AIR, INC, et al.
Meanwhile, the wife of Jacksonville Texas Mayor Pro-Tem was indicted for stealing over $150,000 from the Rusk Texas city hall and the US Postmaster in Alto Texas was sentenced for stealing over $27,000 in postage, before paying it back. The latter receiving 1-year adjudicated probation in federal court, while the former has had her case postponed in hopes she too, can sell her recently acquired assets if in fact she is found or pleads guilty.
Nacogdoches Texas:
Nacogdoches correctional officer Michael Paul Kennedy was sentenced March 13, 2008 to 97 months federal prison for soliciting and distributing child pornography. Former jailer Michael Kennedy, 32 of the Nacogdoches Sheriff Department had been arrested last year at his home in Nacogdoches, Texas according the Texas Attorney General press release on that date. His arrest video and others can be viewed at the Texas Attorney General website.
Michael Kennedy, former Nacogdoches TX jailer
Smith County Constable Henry Jackson’s Tyler based private security firm, Fail Safe Security Agency, is under investigation by the Texas DPS. The DPS issued a search warrant on Constable Jackson’s home based upon Jackson and his firm's expired licenses required to operate a security business. The Tyler Paper reports that Constable Henry Jackson’s security business employed deputy constables who were paid on county time and wearing Smith County uniforms, while simultaneously working security. A special prosecutor was assigned to the case by the Smith County District Attorney's office.
The Texas Rangers have also been investigating Smith County Sheriff Deputies, according to the Tyler Paper for using jailhouse inmates to work on officers' personal property. Four (4) Smith County TX deputies facing felony charges for the misappropriations were fired from the low risk jail facility on Tuesday March 18, 2008. 12-year veteran deputy Lt. Gary Lile, Brandon Langston, Jeff Hudnall and Benjamin Hicks were terminated. The charges stem from inmates gathering scrap metal for recycling, rounding up stray livestock on rural roads and the sale of these proceeds not being reported. Instead the deputies pocketed the monies.
Amidst the investigation, on Thursday March 27, 2009 Lieutenant GARY LEE LILE, 57, took the coward’s way out and committed suicide at his Lindale TX home. The Smith County Justice of the Peace told the Tyler Paper that Lt. Lile had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest.
In neighboring Rusk County, Lieutenant Fred Dunlap committed suicide in the exact manner, under similar circumstances last year. The officer shot himself in the chest, even though Lt. Dunlap was not the focus of a Federal Civil Rights investigation. Chief Deputy Dusty Flanagan, aka Daniel Oscar Flanagan, age 37 of Henderson TX was sentenced to 2 years federal prison for the assault of a handcuffed suspect he and Lt. Johnny Leon Davidson, Jr. questioned in Flanagan’s office. Lt. Davidson admitted to writing a fraudulent police report of the beating. Flanagan was sentenced on Wednesday March 26, 2008 after his guilty plea in 2007 in Federal Court. Rusk County Sheriff Deputy Kenneth Calvin Martin also pleaded guilty during this time for possession of child pornography.
Quoted from Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith regarding the more recent Lt. Lile investigation,“They knew the rules, they knew the regulations and they knew the law. There’s no excuse for it.”
A stark contrast to southern neighbor Cherokee County whose misuse of the District Attorney funds and county equipment has been going on for decades. And those caught being relocated to other parts of the county and/or the malfeasance being not just ignored, but lauded by those at the county seat. Cherokee County bulldozers and employees working on private property, making improvements with taxpayer dollars, is an all too common sight during the dog days of summer. Ever see a county bridge on a private driveway 1500 feet from the Farm to Market Road? Or county trucks laying gravel leading up to a judge’s hunting camp? Or state witnesses being paid for by the insurance pay-out of a murder victim, as in the 1990 Cherokee County case: State vs. Terry Watkins.
Jacksonville Daily Progress August 23, 1990
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