Jacksonville, TX 5/24/24- absconding parolee Justin Ray processed for the 23rd time after charges dropped by sympathetic prosecutors. (Courtesy CCSO)
369th District Court, Cherokee County, Texas
Criminal Docket Case 22515 EVADING ARREST/ DETENTION W/VEHICLE
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs RAY, JUSTIN ODELL
Filed 08/28/2023 - Disposition: 05/28/2024 Dismissed-insufficient evidence
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
Some Jacksonville residents are more valuable on the streets than locked up and rehabilitated.
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.
