Catch and Release sex offender kidnaps local man during drug binge

 

Timothy Andrew Gorko (Courtesy DPS)

Another strung out sex offender with nothing to lose, another slap on the wrist; another illegal gun, another local victim. Another drug dealer in and out of jail to snitch on his buddies; another day in Cherokee County, Texas. 

This isn't the first time Timothy Gorko has been arrested in Cherokee County for being a paroled felon with a gun. Gorko, age 37, has been living in Rusk, Texas for the last 10 years under Cherokee County sex offender supervision from a 2008 statutory rape conviction in Pennsylvania. He was charged last month in Montgomery County, Texas for dealing crystal meth in the Conroe area. Takes a lot of tobacco spit to keep up with this guy.

How does a paroled sex offender with multiple drug charges get released on bail?

Timothy Gorko, arrested 11/09/21 for Possession with Intent to deliver a controlled substance (Courtesy Montgomery County).

Meanwhile, back at the crack house in Rusk, TX:

One month later on Monday 12/13/2021, the Cherokee County Sheriff Department was alerted Tim Gorko had shot at his girlfriend and another person during a domestic dispute. Before deputies arrived, Gorko forced one of his neighbors at gunpoint to drive him to Lufkin to evade arrest. After a high speed chase, he was apprehended by the Highway Patrol. Gorko was shot in the neck during the traffic stop and taken back to Rusk; the hostage driving the car was shaken but unharmed. Timothy Gorko is charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping, evading arrest, and of course, delivery of a controlled substance called crystal meth. (Source: KETK)

Cherokee County hides the identity of local sex offenders.

Police released the body cam footage of the incident, however Cherokee County and local media did not release Timothy Gorko's extensive CRIMINAL HISTORY and SEX OFFENSE status. Gorko is a Lifetime Sex Offender. His supervision by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office began in 2012. He was officially released from parole in 2016 while he was actually incarcerated for violating his parole. Gorko was out on bond during this latest hostage standoff. Because he is a sex offender with a gun and multiple arrests, this story has dropped off the East Texas news boards. 

(KETK)  

Sweet deals keep a comin' for violent sex offenders.

Timothy Gorko was on parole when he moved to East Texas. After settling into his new digs in Cherokee County, Gorko was arrested in 2015 for absconding his sex offender registration and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded no contest, sentenced to 2 years TDCJ, and released in 2018. (Source: Jacksonville Progress, "3 arrested during sex offender compliance check" Dec 11, 2015)

Timothy Gorko at age 31 circa 2015

Cherokee County Criminal Docket Case 19988
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs GORKO, TIMOTHY ANDREW
Filed 03/28/2016 - Unlawful Possession of Firearm by Felon
Disposition: 05/03/2016 Conviction-guilty plea or nolo cont-no jury

Anyone with two working brain cells knows this drug addict was constantly being monitored and his meth connections surveilled. 

Gorko has been in and out of Cherokee County custody for drug possession and parole violations, making him the perfect Jail House snitch, until something goes wrong. And it usually does when drugs are involved. (Source: Jacksonville Progress, March 12, 2016) The District Clerk will have to strike Timothy Gorko's name from the next jury pool headed to the courthouse basement.

The criminal justice system in Cherokee County Texas is there only to enrich the District Attorney, a small group of lawyers on the Rusk square, and a handful of people running the place into the ground. Law enforcement still operates in the lazy 1970's, while their drug informants on the dole are getting more violent and more dangerous to the public. State Senators and Representatives, the FBI, and Texas Rangers all look the other way while those at the top of county government like Carl Phillips steal money and molest children for decades.

(Source: Former East Texas corrections director molested child for more than 18 months, KETK)

Crystal meth dealers and out of state sex offenders pour into the area because they know if they cooperate with authorities, they'll be part of the clique. 

In 2020, father and son Theodore Smith and James Smith moved from California to Cherokee County, TX because it is a safe haven for child molesters. They knew convicted pedophiles are called for jury duty and the District Judge's signature was forged to release sex offenders. They thought if they ever got caught, they'd be in good company with the former head of the Cherokee County Probation Department who filmed and raped children.  In October 2021, the two were arrested in their Alto, TX  home after Sacramento law enforcement made a discovery on their California property of a horde of child pornography dating back decades. Theodore Smith was extradited back to California, charged with 34 counts of lewd acts with a child and his bond set at $7 million.

Two men arrested in Texas in connection with California child sexual assault case

Theodore Smith, 86, and his son James Smith, 62, who live in Alto, Texas, were arrested and are in custody awaiting extradition to California for their alleged involvement in the sexual assault of children, according to a news release.

The case leading to the arrests emerged in mid-March, when a Sacramento County resident who was renovating a recently purchased home discovered hundreds of images containing child pornography and children involved in sex acts, according to the news release.

Detectives who inspected the images believed the pictures were taken between 1985 and 1995 and were left behind by the previous residents of the home, who had moved to Texas the year prior.

On Wednesday, sheriff’s detectives assisted by two Texas sheriff’s offices and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security served a search warrant at a home in Cherokee County, Texas. After that, arrest warrants were issued for the two men. The elder Smith was arrested at home in Alto while his son was arrested while on a trip back to California, according to the news release. (Source: Sacramento Bee, Oct. 15, 2021)

 (KETK)

Rusk Police Chief resigns after illegal wiretapping claims

Rusk, TX:

Isn't it against the law to give false statements to Attorney General special investigators?

Chief of Police Jamie Campbell is set to resign October 30, 2016 after the Texas Rangers conclude their local wiretapping investigation. (Source: KETK) Jamie Campbell is the son of Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell. During an open council meeting earlier this year, Campbell's lieutenant accused City Manager Mike Murray of "illegally tape recording phone conversations" and "retaliation." (Source: KETK) Upon the recommendation of outgoing Cherokee County District Attorney Rachel Patton, the Texas Rangers and Texas Attorney General's office were called in to quell the coup. Murray was quickly and quietly exonerated while his future in Rusk, Texas politics remains in limbo. (Source: Daily Progress) After leading the local media down rabbit holes, Murray's accusers have agreed to RESIGN to avoid further scrutiny of the wiretapping claims.

Why was the City Manager falsely accused of a federal crime?

When factions split inside corrupt small town government, their goal is to enlist more fingerpointing on one side than the other. More and more people become involved in the smear tactics until they are ALL criminally compromised. Cherokee County has reached a breaking point. They publicly divide the Rusk City Council meetings into groups, those they claim are pro-Police and those against. They have an ongoing desire to parade in the Texas Rangers to affirm that their side of the fence will be held unaccountable.

Isn't it against the law for local law enforcement to falsely accuse someone of a federal crime?

The families of Cherokee County law enforcement have always gotten their marching orders from Sheriff James Campbell. Somewhere in the remote past, Cherokee County's sheriffs convinced themselves that it was a moral duty for their deputies to intercept telephone calls, justifiable under penalty of perjury. Always accuse your small town rivals of the same crimes you commit every single day.

Rusk, TX wiretapping is the biggest 2016 story in the region, so why doesn't it get properly reported?

The Texas Rangers and Attorney General's office are 100% cognizant that Cherokee County law enforcement routinely violate federal wiretapping laws. They are also aware that Mike Murray has been accused of exactly what goes on in the Rusk Police and Sheriff Departments. Knowing that the accusing parties have spilled the beans and will never kiss-and-makeup (and go back to the way it used to be for 30 years), they offer clemency. Guilty parties are advised to retire and keep the taxpayers in the dark. They turn a blind eye to the warrantless interception of citizens' phone conversations to keep their own abetting hands clean.

Mike Murray is lucky that Elmer Beckworth is not the current DA; otherwise a jury of Jamie Campbell’s relatives would have been empanelled to convict on a fictitious statute. All with the blessing of complacent agencies in the region who make their living violating Civil Rights.   

As usual, accomplices in local media are more than willing to bury their previous stories and keep the public hanging after it is discovered that they all lied. According to KETK and the iterim City Manager, following an October 12, 2016 "complaint" Jamie Campbell's departure has been in the works for weeks with the grooming of his replacement.

Rusk Iterim City Manager Jim Dunaway said the interim police chief is Russell Pancoast, a retired police chief from Bee Cave, Texas. He will start duty Thursday morning. (Source: KETK)

Local newspapers and distractors from both sides continue to repeat the lie of "low morale in the police department" affecting the outcome of the "investigation" after being warned again by the Texas Attorney General's office not to publicly discuss the common Cherokee County practice of illegal wiretapping. This is why there is never a straight comment or factual representation of exactly what the hell goes on in Rusk, TX. Wiretapping is a federal offense that if properly investigated would be conducted by the US Attorney's office and not local chapters of the DPS (many of whom are former Cherokee County law enforcement). They send the fox to count the chickens.

Illegal 3rd party phone lines pay off

Private and business phone conversations are illegally intercepted and recorded by Cherokee County law enforcement, especially by those in "retirement." They have nothing better to do. They are paid to do so, some from the comfort of their own homes via the county's multitude of outlaw telephone drops. They've been spying on each other for decades. They have no intention of ever stopping because they know they will never face federal prosecution. A true audit of Cherokee County investigator funds would show how these designees supplement their income as reserve deputies after "retirement."

Where is the missing $150,000? Texas Municipal League awards city sued for rapist cop.

Still missing and unaccounted- $150,000 stolen from the City of Rusk, Texas (pop. 5200)

Rusk, Texas:

The trial of Doris Robinson, the Rusk, TX Water Department clerk and wife of Jacksonville, TX councilman Hubert Robinson, was reported by the local media as going to jury selection on October 14, 2008. The trial was slated for the next day in the 369th District Court, according to the same local media. The original indictment/investigation had been postponed for over a year. Where is the missing money?

(Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress, September 11, 2008)
“She faces one count of tampering with a government record and one count of theft of property by a public servant in an amount over $100,000 but less than $200,000,” said District Attorney Elmer Beckworth. “The crime is elevated due to her position as a public servant. The theft charge she faces is a first-degree felony.”
"[Doris] Robinson was indicted by a grand jury Feb. 25 and has since pleaded not guilty at her arraignment hearing. She is being represented at trial by attorney John Green. The trial will be held in the 369th District Court in Rusk, with Judge Bascom Bentley III presiding."

According to the front page of the Rusk, Texas newspaper published prior to jury selection, Mrs. Hubert Robinson’s lawyers contend their client was “not a thief” and the City of Rusk accounting procedures was to blame for the missing $150,000.

(Source: Cherokeean Herald, September 10, 2008)
“Mrs. Robinson is represented by Houston attorney John Green.
Mr. Green described Mrs. Robinson as a "good lady, not a thief. She is honest, law abiding and scared to death. The stress is almost unbearable to her."
Mr. Green continued in saying, "There was a long period of time when the books were not reconciled. I don't know if they can prove there was money missing. Since then they have gone to new controls (a new bookkeeping system). She got a raw deal. No one saw her taking the money. The evidence is on her side.
"We will be prepared to pick a jury. But, we are trying to settle this thing out of court. I think it will be best for everyone. If not, we will go to trial or get a continuance," Mr. Green said.

Well, apparently the missing money may still go ‘UNACCOUNTED’, even though the 'independent' Palestine based Texas Rangers audited the City of Rusk, TX at the request of Cherokee County prosecutors. Where is the missing money?

(Source: Cherokeean Herald, September 10, 2008)
“Early on in the investigation, Texas Ranger Rudy Flores was asked to participate in the inquiry. The time frame was narrowed to a two-year period spanning from 2004- 06. An independent, forensic audit was performed at the request of District Attorney Elmer Beckworth. ”

Pct. 1 Councilman Hubert Robinson did make a "neighborly" appearance prior to the alleged "trial" at the National Night Out festivities held October 8th at Robinson’s Jacksonville, TX church. A little sleight of hand and good free publicity courtesy of local newspaper staff writers always helps a good cause. As sure as a cat can lick its butt, the Cherokee County media does it share hand-in-hand and lockstep with county officials in whitewashing local theft of services. No news articles from the region ask the simple question: Where is the missing $150,000 in water bill collections? Who is going to be held accountable?

Nothing like having sweet deals and puff pieces written about a poor old stressed out defendant a couple of weeks before "jury selection." The fact is a Cherokee County Texas petit jury has never been and never will be summoned to hear the case of the missing $150,000. Secondly, only those with political connections within the county have the privilege of having their Defense attorneys air their side of the case in the Cherokeean Herald and Daily Progress hours before the small town jury pool is vetted.

The local East Texas newspapers and media outlets certainly will not inform the public that the case has been dismissed and/or postponed into infinity. At the direction of the Cherokee County District Attorney's office, this story of theft of public monies has been completely buried by the Cherokee County Texas media. Where is the missing money, Mr. Prosecutor for the State of Texas? How sweet it is for a Councilman's wife.

The US Census and City Data reports Rusk, Texas government finances for 2002 alone stood at $220,000 for water utilities and operations. See http://www.city-data.com/city/Rusk-Texas.html More than half of that has disappeared from the Rusk city hall coffers.

Jacksonville, TX:
Similarly, the Texas Municipal League (the liability insurance provider for a pool of high risk city governments) glosses over the recruitment policies of the city of Jacksonville, TX by dolling out internal awards to their small town insurance carriers. Even those like the city of Jacksonville whose law enforcement protocol is profiling 24/7. And no mention of the enormous premiums the city is paying to compensate for Civil Rights suits brought on by former police officer Larry Pugh, et al.

In an article titled “Texas Municipal League Gives Jacksonville Excellence In Public Safety Award”…for cities with less than 250,000 population, city leaders accept their award issued by their Insurance Company. Like Allstate sending you a Christmas calendar for not killing someone after driving home drunk from the bar. A way to say "Thanks for not making us pay out so much in claims this year, like we did after you hired a rapist predator to patrol your streets."



(Source: Tyler Paper, “Texas Municipal League Gives Jacksonville Excellence In Public Safety Award” November 5, 2008)

During this time period, the city of Denton, Texas also received the Municipal Excellence Award from the TML for its “going green initiatives.”

Not to be out done, both the Mayor and City Manager help stop a thief on the streets of Jacksonville, according the November 19th issue of the Daily Progress. “The city manager and the mayor were driving in the 400 block of Commerce Street when they noticed a black male juvenile looking in the window of a late-model car parked..." The Jacksonville PD was notified and an arrest was made. The Mayor of Jacksonville stated "it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time."

“The circumstances that led up to this were purely accidental. We were just minding our own business when we just happened to stumble on a burglary in progress — it was an exciting moment in time,” Haberle said. “I ran as fast as I could, to the point of exhaustion, trying to catch him, and fortunately the police were able to make an arrest.”

The mayor said he is “sick and tired” of crime in Jacksonville.

“I love this town; this is my home. And whether I’m the mayor or just a regular citizen of this city, I will do whatever I can to make this a better place for everybody,” he said.

Everything except resign and/or call on the Texas Attorney General to investigate the rampant corruption stifling the economic potential of the region. When it comes to 'police profiling' these antics are equally preposterous. Lest our readers forget that the nocturnal activities of former Jacksonville police officer Larry Pugh, from 18 months ago, have not been fully investigated. Recruited from the Athens, Texas PD with over 30 prior complaints against him, Officer Pugh hunted down and raped women on the streets of Jacksonville. Missing complainants' remains were found scattered in the Angelina National Forest.

Before choosing which victims he would rape, Officer Pugh most certainly profiled those women. He selected the economically disadvantaged because he knew they could not afford to hire expensive attorneys and their complaints would fall on deaf ears. Officer Larry Pugh would have assumed his department supervisors and the district attorney’s office would willingly turn blind eyes to any and all criminal complaints made against the City of Jacksonville. Especially by victimized women painted as street urchins and whores. Officer Pugh was charged in State court for having inappropriate “sex with an inmate.” He was never charged in Cherokee County for any sex assault offense, despite nine (9) local women filing police reports and eventually a federal class action suit. And now the City of Jacksonville's sole liability insurance provider is giving awards to the city they are settling case after case for.

Profiling in the form of blaming the community’s poor citizens for the illegal activities of the real perpetrators (who have influential cousins with deep pockets in the courthouse) is the Cherokee County Texas norm.
Some readers of the local newspapers preferred to be gulled by the lie that Jacksonville’s police officers do not profile the citizens- that they are there “to protect and serve.” The fact is they protect and serve only those on Cherokee County’s safe from accountability list. The other lie is that those who actively recruited, interviewed, hired and salaried Officer Larry Pugh are now no longer in city/county government. They are still in public service waiting to draw their government pensions. They hired and insured a rapist to patrol the streets of Jacksonville, Texas. This rapist is doing almost 17 years in federal prison thanks to the work of the Department of Justice and one woman coming forward after being attacked twice. This victim filed a successful lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville after she was raped at gun point and then retaliated against for speaking to the FBI. Her harrowing story of being sexually assaulted in a cemetery, then weeks later barely escaping being kidnapped in a van can be read here:

http://cherokeecountytexas.wordpress.com/evelyn-lewis-vs-larry-pugh-the-city-of-jacksonville-tx-et-al/

That is the story the Texas Municipal League and the council of corrupt city governments wants stricken from the minds of taxpayers worried about their rising property taxes.
Source: Evelyn Lewis v. City of Jacksonville, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 34754 (E. Dist Texas 2007)
and Sandra Rene Roca, Tonya Burns, Debra A Williams, Felicia A Colbert, Della Tyler, Wanda Wilson and Felicia Mosley v . Larry Pugh, the city of Jacksonville, Texas et al, No. 6:2007cv-00081 (US Dist. Ct., E.D. Texas, Tyler Division, February 15, 2007).

Still love your city, Mayor?

Lap dog reporting of fake and asinine awards is intended to aid the current Jacksonville Texas Police Chief, the city of Jacksonville and Cherokee County in general in the ongoing effort of ‘Project Got To Fool ‘Em Everyday.’ With the help of local news agencies, the goal of county authorities is to never be held accountable to those filing legitimate federal lawsuits against the city’s police department personnel for heinous negligence, rapes and drug dealing.



Their political agenda is to manipulate the media and their readers who plausibly may be called for Federal jury duty in Cherokee and Smith counties, as the City of Jacksonville is sued out of existence. Call it premeditated and premature jury tampering.

The Texas Municipal League insures police departments and their specialty is at risk liability. Any insurance provider would have a vested interest in not having to pay out the wazoo. Especially if local jurors find city and county officials culpable for the illegal and negligent actions of its employees. Fortunately for the TML, they have willing accomplices working in the East Texas news rooms.

1 in 30 children in Cherokee County Texas are investigated by Child Protective Services

...while local officials celebrate April’s “Child Abuse Prevention Month.”

Cherokee County TX:

According to an April 9, 2008 Cherokeean Herald article, Cherokee County Child Protective Services (CPS) investigated a staggering 433 child abuse allegations in the year 2007. Only 18 children were removed from their homes and placed in foster care. A small number compared to statewide statistics, however the 2000 US Census indicates that 25.8% of the 47,000 residents in Cherokee County Texas are under 18-years old.

25.8% X 47000 = 12126 minors
433 : 12126 = 1 : 28 ratio
or approx. 1 in 30

There are 15,700 households with children in Cherokee County TX also according to the 2000 US census.

This means over 1 in 500 households in the county have been visited by CPS.

This means over 3 % of the households in Cherokee County TX have had some type of alleged abuse.

Not a good number for any Cherokee County TX official pretending to be a "victim's rights" champion. The Cherokee County Criminal Docket can certainly attest that a tiny fraction of these cases actually saw the light of day. Meanwhile, a related article cites that Cherokee County officials responsible for the statistics are in fact observing a self imposed "Child Abuse Prevention Month" during the month of April. A celebration of sorts led by County Judge Chris Davis and attended by the District Attorney and County Attorney's offices.

Our invited State Representative and State Senator all gather on April 9th for a photo op to express their solidarity with the Cherokee County district attorney and county attorney offices to rally the county’s overblown abuse statistics. Forgetting about their other districts’ drug and child porn arrests, e.g. Rusk County, stinking corruption and local sex offenders tooling around the courthouse on probation given by Elmer Beckworth and associates. No moratorium needed to cleanse the region of rampant child porn and drug dealing by law enforcement; a ribbon cutting ceremony will rally voters back into a mental slumber.

Remember, they care so much about children that they believe probation is acceptable to every and all child molesters arrested and living within the county- well, those related to the right official.

The fact is the first, second and third cousins of Cherokee County’s “officials” have gotten away with sexual assault of minors for decades. Because the Cherokee County Sheriff Department ignores the reports and the current District and County Attorneys only prosecute non-relatives of Cherokee County’s “officials.” Cherokee County citizens do not need to be made aware of the child porn epidemic in its schools or the high incidence of incest occurring under their noses.

The folks are probably wondering why rapists are recruited to patrol the streets of Jacksonville, TX a la Larry Pugh. And the audacity of the Jacksonville police department to print that the JPD recruiting policies have changed for the better.

They are probably wondering how for decades a Rusk ISD drama teacher can take students to overnight and out-of-town Theater Camp, while simultaneously trading in child porno on the Internet. That is Rusk Texas high school teacher Harold "Bo" Scallon , who pleaded guilty to his child porn collection in federal court Tuesday April 9, 2008.

Most importantly, the taxpayers are probably wondering why Sex Offenders are walking around town on probation given to them by the District Attorney.

Cherokee County's District Attorney Elmer Beckworth has consistently given probation to child molesters whose victims were as young as 1-year-old baby girls, all the while the local Cherokeean Herald and Jacksonville Daily Progress have swept the incidents of incest and statutory rape under the proverbial carpet. What can the taxpayer expect when neither of the two local Cherokee County papers printed the fact that the US Postmaster Herbert Michael Dominguez in the Alto Texas Post Office was sentenced this year "for stealing over $27,000 in money and stamps" ?

The local CPS claims to have investigated over 400 abuse allegations last year alone, in a county with a little over 12000 minors. If that is the case, why doesn't the County Court at Law docket reflect it? It's not because the abuse wasn't reported, it is because the victims were ignored by Cherokee County officials as usual. Because these officials spend taxpayer money promoting themselves as victims by bleeding the county coffers and local businesses dry with frivolous Personal Injury lawsuits.

Cherokee County would rather solicit the hiring of an extra "mental health" deputy via ACCESS grant money, knowing it is MHMR's policy to have 2 deputies present during the transport of an unruly mental patient. How many mental health commitments and out-patient "shepherding" duties does a county of 47000 have each year to justify what a staff of deputies are already required by law to perform? They certainly aren't investigating child abuse.

400 out of 12000 children have possibly been abused while the Sheriff Department is going to hire another deputy to sit on his or her laurels and help the Jail Coordinator eavesdrop on inmates' payphone calls.

That means in 2007 over 3 % of Cherokee County's children may have been neglected, abused or worse. A statistic Cherokee County should be ashamed of. And apparently they are:

They all got together and had a big ol' ribbon cutting ceremony on the Rusk Texas courthouse steps in an attempt to 'Fool 'em All Over Again' for the month of April. If they know the truth makes them look bad, as in the preventable murder of Faye Bell Harris in 2003, then taxpayers can expect to see their officials in full regalia on the courthouse lawn, telling everyone "the world is actually flat." And pretending to care more about victimized and helpless children than protecting their collective government paychecks.

Read the Cherokee County TX court dockets for a comparison of actual CPS child abuse cases reported, and those Elmer Beckworth, et al threw in the courthouse dumpster. Next year they'll be smart enough not to let CPS report its local abuse statistics. Now that's Awareness to rally around.



[courtesy of the Rusk TX Cherokeean Herald 4-09-08]

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) is observing April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.
http://cherokeecountytexas.blogspot.com/

City of Rusk Texas bookkeeper indicted for embezzling $150,000 of government funds; wife of City of Jacksonville Texas Mayor Pro-Tem/ City Councilman

Rusk Texas:

The Cherokeean Herald reports on its online March 12, 2008 issue that Rusk, TX city bookkeeper, Doris Robinson, wife of City of Jacksonville TX councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Hubert Robinson, has been indicted by a Cherokee County TX grand jury for stealing over $150,000 from the Rusk TX water department.

City of Rusk Texas bookkeeper Doris Robinson

Mrs. Doris Robinson worked at Rusk's City Hall located at 408 N MAIN ST as the city Permit and Billing Clerk until she was promoted to City Bookkeeper in February 2006. Prior to taking office the article cites, Doris Robinson allegedly embezzled water department monies over a 2 year period. An unnoticed theft of upwards of $150 thousand in a city with the population of 5000 citizens. The Cherokee County TX grand jury met the second week in March 2008 and Mrs. Robinson's indictment was not reported by the District Attorney's office. The Cherokeean Herald reports it after the go-ahead from the District Attorney.

At printing The Jacksonville Daily Progress also has not printed the fact the wife of the city of Jacksonville's Mayor Pro Tem had been indicted. Councilman Hubert Robinson's wife posted bond on Monday March 10, 2008. Mr. Robinson is an active member of the historical Sweet Union Baptist Church located in Jacksonville Texas.

Councilman Hubert Robinson, Jacksonville TX (District 1)

After one year of misdirections, it is high time a grand jury was seated that was not designed to prolong the case into the millennia. The EDITOR doubts there will ever be a costly and embarrassing embezzlement trial; Doris Robinson will no doubt be granted immunity for spending the last year busily trying to pay back any missing funds, in restitution. Isn't that always the way it always works when Cherokee County's version of Christians get caught with their hands in the taxpayers' coffers?

Alto Texas:
US Postmaster Herbert Michael Dominguez paid back nearly all the $27000 he stole from the post office and for his federal crime, Postmaster Dominguez gets to keep his federal pension if he successfully completes his one year probation sentence. Handed to him in late February 2008 by US District Judge Michael Schneider in Tyler, TX, because Dominguez was "such a good person who had never been in trouble before."

When Cherokee County's version of "dignitaries" commit federal crimes, citizens will only get a glimpse of it in the Tyler TX newspaper 100 miles away.

District Attorney gives probation to Rusk, TX infant molester; Jacksonville companies leave county’s slip-and-fall Free For All

plea-bargain (v.) :
To make an agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor in return drops more serious charges.

plea-bargain "Cherokee County Texas style" (n.) :
A deal struck with a court-appointed defense attorney in which a defendant pleads guilty to a more serious charge and the prosecutor offers adjudicated probation.

Rusk, TX:
In 2006 the Cherokee County District Attorney's office offered a plea bargain deal of probation to a Rusk, TX resident after his arrest for molesting a 1-year-old baby girl.
Kenneth Dexter Folmar, age 45, accepted 96 months deferred probation in 2006 for the Felony sexual assault of the female infant. Refer to Cherokee County, TX Criminal Docket case 16209 (2006) State v. Kenneth Dexter Folmar, 2nd Judicial District.

Folmar continues his employment in neighboring Anderson County. The Cherokeean Herald ran the picture of the Rusk, TX registered sex offender Kenneth Folmar in their August 2007 local sex offender update. However, because Kenneth Folmar is related to too many people operating the Rusk, TX courthouse, the actual molestation was never reported by the local media. And of course Elmer Beckworth's plea offer of 8 years probation was not reported either.

The question is why are convicted child molesters in Cherokee County, whose victims are younger than 6 years-old, being put on probation? And their crimes not reported?

Because it is more efficacious for the Cherokee County District Attorney's office and local media to protect the extended family members of the offender from embarrassment than it is to protect the community. Perpetuating the psychotic paranoid small town mentality by covering up the incest.

There are 79 registered sex offenders residing in Cherokee County, Texas according to a 8/15/07 Cherokeean Herald posting. In a 1/24/07 Cherokeean Herald article, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department released the names of the registered sex offenders living in the county.

As a 'public service,' local Cherokee County newspapers refuse to print the ages of the victims under 16 years-old. Nor the fact that EVERY offender on the local offenders list who was arrested by the Cherokee County Sheriff Department were on superficial probation and their 2nd degree Felony jail sentences suspended by District Attorney Elmer Beckworth- putting the county at risk.

The Cherokeean Herald's policy is not to print the ages of local victms in cases incest, to keep their identities hidden from ostracism and ridicule. In 2003, the Lufkin Daily News was smart enough to print the names and addresses of all registered sexual offenders in the area, including the ages of victims, charges and date of judgment.

The Sheriff Department pretends to be doing the community a service by notifying the public (on a slow news day) of the identity of local child molesters. However, the offer of probation for the violent rape of a small child tells the true story of the criminal justice system operating in Cherokee County Texas. Especially when defendants are related to members of law enforcement, attorneys and clerks employed at the Rusk, Texas courthouse. They want to keep the high incident of East Texas incest under the radar because of their "vested interest in their little communities." So the district attorney gives probation to Kenneth Folmar of Rusk, Texas for sexual assault of a 12 month old. Molesting a defenseless infant must not be that big of a deal for Cherokee County's District Attorney.

Kenneth Dexter Folmar

Similary, Rusk Texas native, dairy hand and registered child molester James Christopher Schlater, age 51, was given deferred adjudication in 2007 after violating a local 6-year-old girl back in 2004. Refer to State v. James Christopher Schlater (2006) Cherokee County, Texas Criminal Docket Case No. 16630.

James Schlater had originally been charged with Felony sexual assault child, according to Cherokee County, Texas Criminal Docket Case No. 15724, State v. James Christopher Schlater (2007). The incident was never reported and of course his picture is not available because Cherokee County has not verified his current sex offense registration.

James Earl Holt, age 52, Jacksonville Texas given 6 years probation in 2007 for the 2003 assault of a 14 year-old girl. Also never reported.
No picture available.

Donald Wayne Thurmon, age 40 from Jacksonville Texas given 10 years probation in 2007 by District Attorney Elmer Beckworth for possessing and distributing child pornography. No need to call the feds in on this one; why waste their time even though it is a federal offense?

Donald Thurman

Manuel Enrique Huerta, age 21, given 10 years probation in 2007 for sexual assault of a 13 year-old Jacksonville Texas girl.
No picture available.

Cody Allen Whiteley, age 22 of Jacksonville, arrested in Cherokee County in 2006 and pled 7 years probation for the sexual assault of a 13 year-old girl.


Cody Whiteley

Bobby Ray Vines, Jr. age 41 from Jacksonville Texas. Given only 4 years probation for the sexual assault of an 11 year-old female in 2001.

Bobby Vines, Jr.

Ollie Ray Grogan, 65 year-old Rusk Texas native given 10 years probation for 2 counts of molestation of a 5 year-old and an 8 year-old.

Ollie Ray Grogan

Dale Joseph Tylich 65 year-old Rusk Texas equestrian given 6 months probation by Cherokee County for sexual contact with a child. 6 Months because he related to just about everybody in town.

Dale J. Tylich

Marin Otis Pitts, age 54, Troup Texas. Arrested by Cherokee County Texas authorities in 1991 and given 10 years probation for 2 counts of sexual assault on a 7 year-old girl.

Martin Pitts

Chenney LaVaughn Carter, age 43 in Troup, Texas. Arrested in 2006 for aggravated sexual assault of a child. The victim was a 15 year-old girl. Elmer Beckworth's office offered Carter 10 YRS DEFERRED ADJUDICATION PROBATION, despite Chenney Carter's local and Smith County priors.

Cheney L. Carter

Joyal Lee Lackey, age 63 Jacksonville Texas, given 10 years probation in 2005 for Indecency and Sexual Assault of a 13 year-old girl.


Joyal "Muggs" Lackey


Robert Michael Lane, age 36, Jacksonville Texas; offered 10 years probation in 1993 for the sexual assault of a 10 year-old girl. Lane was sent to Bootcamp for 90 days according to the DPS registry and the Cherokee County Court Docket records, Case 11818 State v. Robert M. Lane; Felony-Indecency/Sexual Assault of child-Filed 02/11/1992 - Disposition: 04/16/1993 Conviction-guilty plea or nolo cont-no jury, in the 2nd District Court, Cherokee County TX.

Robert Lane

Guadalupe Lora Vera Lara, age 56, given a paltry 5 years probation in 1996 for having sexual contact with 2 Jacksonville Texas girls, one 11 years-old, the other 13 years-old. No picture available.

Patrick Brian Norsworthy age 45, from Jacksonville Texas. Arrested in 1994 for Indecency with an 8 year-old girl. Given 10 years probation in 1999.

Patrick Norsworthy

Kevin Wayne Patton local businessman, age 40 from Jacksonville, Texas. Given 10 years probation for Indecency with a 14 year-old girl. No picture available.

Robby Lee Buffalo , age 35 Jacksonville, Texas was arrested in 1995 by Cherokee County and a 10 year probation deal accepted in 1999 for sexual assault of a local 11 year-old female.

Robby Buffalo

Donnie Wayne Crippen , age 39 Rusk, Texas. Arrested in Cherokee County in 2006 and given 5 years unadjudicated probation by Elmer Beckworth's office for the sexual assault of a 16 year-old female.

Donnie Crippen

Jose Ramon Galan, age 53 Jacksonville, Texas given 10 years probation in 1998 by Cherokee County after molesting a 9 year-old girl.

Jose Galan

Nicholas "Nicky" Noel Harwell, age 33 Jacksonville, Texas, given 10 years probation in 2003 by Cherokee County Texas prosecutors for 2 counts of sexual assault on a 12 year-old girl.

"Nicky" Harwell

Kevin Lyn Hawes, age 45 from Jacksonville, Texas. Arrested in 1999 by Cherokee County authorities for sexual assault on a 15 year-old girl. Hawes was offered 10 years probation.

Kevin Hawes

William Lee Hershiser, age 51 Jacksonville, Texas resident given 10 years probation for sexual assault on a local 15 year-old female.

William Hershier

This only scratches the surface of the convicted sex offenders (still residing in-county) arrested by and registered with the Cherokee County Sheriff Department. These are the sex predators registered with the State and given probation as 'punishment' by District Attorney Elmer Beckworth and his predecessors. Plea offers comparable to a slap on the wrist. What about the offenses passed on by the Sheriff Department and Beckworth's office? The ones the public will never know about?

Even if some of these men are innocent, the District Attorney's office prosecuted them under the penal code which is crystal clear on the punishment assessment for Indecency with a Minor.

INDECENCY OR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD: An offense under Texas Penal Code Sections 22.011 (Sexual Assault) or 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault) where the victim is a child (younger than 17 years), and an offense under 21.11 (Indecency with a Child).

§ 12.33. SECOND DEGREE FELONY PUNISHMENT. (a) An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than 2 years. (b) In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.

That is why there are no reports of the child molesters' probation in the local Cherokee County papers. Only the fact there are registered sex offenders living in the county. Of course the typical excuse of the Cherokee County District Attorney's office et al is that the law would not allow jail time for a 2nd degree Felony. If you're stupid enough to believe it, print it and repeat it. The Texas Penal Code and Constitution do not tie the hands of state prosecutors, only those of the patently corrupt.

The remainder of current registered sex offenders given probation without jail time in Cherokee County Texas:

1. Roy Joe Bailey, age 65, Wells TX: arrested in 2007; 10 yrs. probation/ 12 year-old female victim.


2. Richard Dean Davis, age 50, Rusk TX: arrested in 1996; 10 yrs. probation/14 year-old female victim.


3. J.E. Monroe Martin, age 85, Rusk TX: arrested in 1997; 3 yrs. probation/ 12 year-old female victim.


4. Dale Joseph Tylich, age 53, Rusk TX: arrested in 1996; 6 mos. probation/ female victim unknown age.


5. Tommy Junior Allen, age 51, Jacksonville TX: arrested in 1991; 10 yrs. probation/ 11 year-old female.


6. James Travis Barker, age 25, Jacksonville TX: arrested in 1999; 24 mos. city jail/ 6 year-old female.


7. Roger Hunter, age 75, Jacksonville TX: arrested in 1997; 10 yrs. probation/ 14 year-old female.


8. James L Wells, age 55 , Jacksonville TX: arrested in 1998; 8 yrs. probation/ 2 counts sexual assault on a 5 year-old and a 6 year-old.


9. Gary Michael Morrison, age 51, Alto TX: arrested 1991; 10 yrs. probation/ sexual assault of 12 year-old female.


10. Wesley Boyd Mohr, age 63, Bullard TX: arrested by Cherokee Co. in 1997; 10 yrs. probation for sexual assault of 10 year-old girl.

The summary of every one of these registered sexual offenses is readily available on the Texas DPS Sex Offender Registry website and Cherokee County Texas court docket. However, not one of these rapes, molestations or incidents of child pornography has been NOR ever will be reported by the Cherokee County newspapers. Unless the perpetrator was born out of town. Then they'll throw the book at him.

This blog posting covers only a partial list of the registered sex offenders that actually reside in Cherokee County, TX and on probation for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child; there is no known count of those child molesters given probation and registered/relocated in other states or counties. Regardless, Elmer Beckworth's and the Cherokee County District Attorney office's pattern of lenient plea bargains going back decades to resident child molesters related to members of the local 'establishment' is crystal clear. They are sheltered and not reported.

A far cry from the more recent sentencing of out-of-towner Gordon Neal Mathis. The former US Army reservist pled guilty in January 2008 to 6 counts of sexual assault of a 12-year-old Rusk, TX girl and on Monday, February 11, 2008 was sentenced to 40 years State time. Mathis had been convicted in federal court and was beginning his 8 years in federal prison for child porn possession. The 2/17/08 Tyler Paper article gives the impression that former the Army reservist Gordon Mathis was "prosecuted" by an Assistant Cherokee County District Attorney, instead of the fact Mathis threw himself at mercy of the district court, claiming post traumatic stress syndrome. And since his offenses were widely reported by the Tyler Paper, the district court got a little busy and decided Adult Probation wasn't appropriate for Mathis' sex crimes. And the Cherokeean Herald quickly dropped their policy of not printing the age of the victim. Gordon Neal Mathis was sentenced on 6 counts of molesting the child for over a two year span.

View the remainder of Cherokee County's bonafide child molesters living in the area on the Texas DPS Sex Offender Registry located at: https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/Sor/index.aspx

Do a comparison of sex offenders convicted in other counties by prosecutors following the intent of the law. They put child molesters in prison even for statutory rape.



Athens, Texas: Athens Fire Chief Dan Barnes and Athens Fire Marshall Waylen Padgett were recently placed on admistrative leave and Chief Barnes resigned Monday January 28, 2008 amid an investigation led by the Assistant Fire Chief. The Athens Texas city council has been hush hush regarding the internal affairs review of alleged "allegations."

Longview, Texas: Gregg County Justice of the Peace clerk D. Donna Wallace pled guilty on Wednesday February 13, 2008 to government records tampering. Wallace used an alias to work at the JP office and continue to draw Social Security disability benefits.

Troup, Texas: Dale Lowry and wife Brenda Lowry of Troup, TX were indicted in a Tyler Texas federal grand jury during the first week of February 2008 for allegedly stealing over $28,000 of Social Security disability benefits. The couple had claimed a child as a dependent, even though the child was no longer living with them.

Gregg County, Texas: Sheriff candidate Billy Ray White was sentenced to 6 months deferred probation for falsifying the employment record of one of his employees. White operated a security service; the security guard did not have a firearm license when White hired him.

Jacksonville, Texas: The Jacksonville, TX police department convinced itself from an in-house generated report that racial profiling by its officers was completely imaginary. On Tuesday February 12, 2008, the mayor read the results to the city council that the JPD had ZERO complaints filed regarding discriminating traffic stops and ZERO incidents of racial disparity. Probably because people of ethnic backgrounds and skin coloring are too afraid to drive to the grocery store at night, by fear of being framed, raped or worse.

The city of Jacksonville, Texas is the largest economic center in the county and it is still reeling from the civil suit settlements resulting in the Jacksonville police department starting a race riot at the 2004 Tomato Bowl homecoming game. And for each rape complaint against its decorated patrolman Larry Pugh, sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. When a Cherokee County woman would come forward with an allegation of Pugh raping her, the benign police officer and family man got accommodations by the Jacksonville police department. Until he was caught dragging a complainant into a van by her neck. And despite Officer Pugh facing federal indictment, the County Attorney tried Larry Hinton of Jacksonville, for interfering with Officer Pugh's racial profiling during the 2004 Tomato Bowl riot. But that's "nonexistent."

Jacksonville, Texas: Not only does the Cherokee County Criminal Docket give a peek into the machinations of the district court, the Civil Docket shows the ongoing get rich schemes of relatives planted on Bodily Injury cases. Large companies from out of region foolish enough to set up shop for the cheap local labor are the target of 'slip-and-fall' and other concocted lawsuits.

Two major employers in Jacksonville, Texas, Astro Air- a heating and cooling coil manufacturing plant and Alliance Data- a support tech call center, will be closing their doors permanently in 2008. These firms' relocations will be putting hundreds of locals out of jobs. A sad series of inevitable events for the already destitute county. However, this is probably the first of many wise corporate decisions to vacate the county known for the lack of competitive bidding when it comes to issuing government contracts. And its newspapers not advertising a prescribe method of identifying qualified bidders. The contracts underhandedly going to relatives, even those good ol’ boys with offenses (like those listed above) involving moral turpitude who would otherwise be ineligible to work under any state, county or city job.

For example, city School Board Trustees awarding school renovation projects to their cousin’s construction company. And Billy Bob’s Construction allowing registered sex offenders on the school property to work during class time.

Or instances of county equipment being used as personal property, at the taxpayer’s expense to dig catfish ponds, pave private roads and driveways; including the use of probationers and government employees to work “outside the fence” on private land.

The locals know it’s been going on for decades, but these duped companies’ Board of Directors contemplating doing business in Cherokee County don’t find out until it is too late. The Cherokee County civil docket can attest to the exorbitant amount of lawsuits these remaining companies are facing, and the excessive payouts they are going to pay by summary judgment. There is no such thing as an unbiased juror in a town that small. And they see the flashing dollar signs when a big company makes the mistake of trying to set up an office there. What better way to get a little extra spending money than extorting a company via a bogus lawsuit, with a biased Cherokee County jury chosen before the case is even heard?

For board members of these departing companies, there is no plausible way to estimate the pecuniary damages to the local Cherokee County economy this type of collusion causes. There is no way to compete and/or get a break when the court system is used as a means to wring out their bottom dollar. Certainly these businesses have gotten sick of the Personal Injury suits filed on them; the same cases that backlog the Civil Docket.

Moreover, these corporations’ insurance premiums are bound to have skyrocketed after being targeted by the local ‘slip-and-fall’ con artists. Of course, a sympathetic civil jury related to the victim is readily available for the milking of their profit shares. Cheap labor or not, it is apparently smarter for IT companies and their subsidiaries to avoid the distrustful small town job market. Manufacturing plants owe it to their shareholders to do business where their profit earnings don't line the pockets of East Texas trial lawyers.

Even Cherokee County’s versions of ‘professionals’ are waiting in line to file a claim against these industries. These companies are only attempting to branch into the rural market. However, once the firms set up shop within the county, they can expect to be lambasted with frivolous lawsuits. And they can expect to pay through the nose because everybody wants a piece of the pie. Then these companies venture elsewhere and leave the honest hard working Cherokee County Texas citizen unemployed, bringing the county's economy back to the pre-Reconstruction era. According to the 2000 US Census, Cherokee County Texas has a median income 30% lower than the national average.

The fact is the only economic development Cherokee County Texas has to offer the region is its apparent contribution to the illegal drug trade and prison population. The worst corporate decision a CEO can make is setting an office up in a county whose local government officials have reputations of collusion and conflicts of interests.