The Ethics of Hubris

Hubris can be defined as blatant arrogance; the misuse of one’s position to commit violence against the knowledgeable and well-informed.

In Cherokee County, that translates into elected officials shaming others for the sole purpose of increasing their own standing within the community. That is why businesses and school teachers are leaving by the droves. Those who have made a living framing innocent people and those who propagate the district attorney’s disregard of the Texas Penal Code are the most dangerous individuals in greater East Texas. Cherokee County district attorney Elmer Beckworth has lied to State legislators, has lied to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and lies just as often in quotes from the Jacksonville Daily Progress.

The highest legal authority in Cherokee County has told the Texas District and County Attorney's Association that the felony bond of one Michael Harris of Jacksonville, TX could not be revoked for repeated violations of protective orders. Beckworth's office has filed briefs with the highest criminal court in Austin stating that he and his investigator did not seek to have an incarcerated felon's parole dismissed in exchange for the parolee's testimony against death row inmates Richard Cobb and Buenka Adams. And when questioned on how an infant molester can be offered probation, the District Attorney's asinine answer is "because the victim wouldn't testify."

Jacksonville, TX:
Not reported by the Jacksonville Daily Progress - Local mother and son arrested during the investigation of sex assaults on two infants, 1 and 2-years old. Dickie P.Bellanger, 21 and his mother Candi Bellanger, 36 were arrested in Jacksonville, TX on Friday May 22, 2009 after forensics obtained at the East Texas Medical Center showed evidence of ongoing sexual abuse of the two infants in their care. The one-year old showed signs of bruising and rape. After both infants were retrieved from the household by CPS, medical examinations showed evidence of sexual trauma on the two-year old sibling. Dickie Bellanger was charged with two counts each of aggravated sexual assault and injury to a child; his bond was set at $2 million. His mother Candi Bellanger was charged with child endangerment for not reporting the alleged crimes. They both are in custody waiting for their court-appointed attorneys to flip a coin.

Mother and son Canid and Dickie Bellanger

The report of the arrest appears out of region in the Tyler TX newspaper. Actually reported by the Jacksonville Daily Progress in 2008: Dickie P. Bellanger was arrested in March 2008 on burglary of a building charges; his felony bond was set at $3500. After throwing himself at the mercy of Cherokee County prosecutors, his burglary charges were dropped.

Now one year later, it takes a newspaper 50 miles away to report the ongoing sexual abuse arrests of more Cherokee County residents. Will district attorney Elmer Beckworth wait until the injured children are old enough to speak before convening a grand jury? Will Cherokee County prosecutors instead have the Jacksonville Daily Progress print yet another conjured account on how the victims’ unwillingness to testify would therefore justify probation at sentencing? Or as current district attorney Elmer Beckworth puts it “because the victim isn’t able to participate in the trial.” (Source Jacksonville Daily Progress)

This is why the Jacksonville Daily Progress refuses to report on the alleged sex assault of two hometown Jacksonville, TX infants. Because the Tyler Paper mentioned the CPS report and medical forensics of the injured children. And local Cherokee County newspapers are programmed to print every lie fed to them by the supporters of the current political structure. Let’s face it folks, their livelihoods depend solely on covering their assets, so actual free and independent press they are not. Last month registered sex offender Kenneth Dexter Folmar, given eight years probation for the aggravated sex assault of a one-year baby girl, was rounded up three years into his deferred adjudication. Folmar was caught with beer cans and sentenced to 50 years in TDCJ by the same District Judge who gave him 8 years probation for raping a one-year old.

The District Attorney’s office continued the lie when word of the Kenneth Folmar probation violation (initially reported as a repeat sex offense) made it to print.

Kenneth Folmar

Cherokee County’s district attorney Elmer Beckworth told the Jacksonville Daily Progress that he did in fact speak to the victim before the trial. He spoke to a toddler who couldn’t get her story straight. Therefore the district attorney’s office had no choice but to offer 8 years probation for the sex assault of a 12-month old.

"I remember this case well. In talking with her myself, she was not able to talk about it at all, and when the case came to grand jury she was able to talk about it only minimally,” Beckworth said. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress April 26, 2009)

No mention of any medical exams conducted at the ETMC or any CPS investigation leading to the arrest of Kenneth Folmar. Just blatant lies by another Cherokee County elected official claiming to have interviewed a toddler, while ignoring forensics.

They obviously believe they have so much authority because of their hubris, that they can say and do whatever they want. The Rusk Cherokeean Herald and Jacksonville Daily Progress each divvy up the lies and print the story best suited for their supporters. Take for example the May 3, 2009 conflicting reports of the ongoing Robert Fox prosecution. On one hand the Daily Progress reports the City of Jacksonville mayor, chief of police and detectives are somehow at odds with the Cherokee County District Attorney (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress “Local fringe group has city and prosecutor squaring off”)

The article states that the mayor of Jacksonville Robert Haberle and Police Chief Reece Daniel petitioned the Attorney General to seat a special prosecutor to take criminal legal action against the House of Israel. They cited a lack of confidence with district attorney Elmer Beckworth’s handling of the Robert Fox case, alluding to Fox’s alleged intimidation tactics of filing multiple federal complaints against the county.

A sharp contrast to the same update on the upcoming Robert Fox plea bargain in the Cherokeean Herald. The Herald reports the mayor of Jacksonville simply “requested that the cases [against Robert Fox] be prosecuted more aggressively.” (Source: March 6, 2009 Cherokean Herald “Anti-government group leader is indicted... ”) No mention of the Attorney General.

Before the headline is completed, the lie begins “similar cases have been fielded by district attorneys in Collin, Williamson counties.” Again, this is all smoke and mirrors coming from a corrupt legal system creating fictitious charges in order to justify its own ongoing unethical activity. The charges and indictments of “tampering with a government record and simulating a legal process” against Robert Fox is another penal statute created out of thin air to prevent federal lawsuits from being filed against out of control police departments.

Robert Fox

Despite Robert Fox’s failings as leader of the House of Israel prison ministry and as Jacksonville’s chief of police put it, his “voluminous frivolous legal findings and lawsuits in an attempt to intimidate the police, prosecutors and judges” (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress ), Robert Fox did hit a raw nerve when he challenged the Jacksonville Police Department’s illegal raid on the House of Israel. In a well-articulated (and hard to find) petition for a Franks Hearing submitted by Fox, he clearly points out Cherokee County’s habit of generating a SEARCH WARRANT, prior to establishing genuine probable cause. Fox contends there was no reasonable reason for entry because there wasn't an existing ARREST WARRANT on file.

The Jacksonville PD was given carte blanche to conduct an open-ended search to find whatever so-called incriminating items they may need within the House of Israel. Without stating verbatim per a bona fide legal SEARCH WARRANT the singularly specific items they were after. The search warrant itself would not stand up in an incorrupt courtroom.

The doors of the House of Israel were knocked down prior to any COMPLAINT being filed with the Cherokee County Clerk. The fact is that in Cherokee County and other small agencies, the district attorney himself composes the SEARCH WARRANT with investigating officers. And Cherokee County's district attorney makes sure the Municipal Judges signing the Warrant allow for an open-ended search and therefore illegal seizure. Investigators tout confiscating Robert Fox's legal writings during the multiple raids, claiming the Fox tirades to be pro-Taliban, though nonetheless NOT illegal and NOT part of the scope of the SEARCH WARRANT.

Cherokee County prosecutors realize the legal mess of having the Attorney General’s office scrutinizing an open-ended search, so they must attempt to criminalize Robert Fox’s cantankerous federal motions. Therefore, they and the local newspapers continue to attempt to brand Robert Fox as a dangerous terrorist sympathizer, in order to contaminate the jury pool.

Robert Fox was no-billed on the initial charge of barratry, written in the original arrest by district attorney Elmer Beckworth. Now Beckworth is taking the high road for not prosecuting all the charges against Robert Fox, levied by Beckworth himself? We're supposed to feel good that the Jacksonville, TX police department stormed the House of Israel without probable cause? To arrest House of Israel members who had earlier been in Cherokee County custody?

Robert Fox's lawsuits and thus his “records tampering” would have never come to fruition without the increasing unconstitutional harassment of Cherokee County law enforcement. They went after him to make themselves look better. In the Daily Progress, district attorney Elmer Beckworth lays the onus of the bogus charges on the over-zealous Jacksonville police department. The current focus on Robert Fox are his "dangerous" and highly argumentative (though often credible) legal briefs. Fox's Civil Rights requests must be quelled by the District Attorney and labeled as "tampering with government records" in order for Project Got to Fool 'Em to succeed.

The corrupt judicial hubris operating for decades in Cherokee County, Texas is itself anti-constitutional, illegal and un-American. It operates in a cohesive little unit of the same group of elected officials, who often as a diversionary tactic pretend to denunciate each other. Don’t be fooled.

If the District Court bailiff has been arrested in McAllen, TX for selling drugs to an undercover federal agent, then both the district judge and district attorney are notified by the Department of Justice. Wouldn’t want the Feds looking at the timecards of rapist cop Larry Pugh or mileage reports of Cherokee County Constable Randy Thompson busted for selling methamphetamines…

You know because Cherokee County has what they call a “lightning rod” for terrorism sitting in the Rusk, Texas jail, unable to post bail or hire an untethered attorney from another county. Which is ironic considering the 369th District Court can concoct government records to indicate Constable Randy Thompson as Missing In Action, one day before his federal drug trafficking indictment. Yet the same District Court can put Robert Fox on trial for “tampering with government records” to censor his legal diatribe. And to make sure to get at least one misinformed Texas trial jury to finally criminalize the filing of complaints and legal briefs by American citizens. Without the help of drunken and sycophantic lawyers in the District Attorney's pocket.

In similar corruption news in neighboring counties where the law is applied appropriately---

Tyler, TX:
TCDJ prison guard Rudolph Regalado was arrested for allegedly hiring a hit man to murder the husband of his girlfriend. Cathryn Lake, the wife of the intended victim was also charged with solicitation for murder. “She was in the process of raising the husband’s life insurance, and we believe that was the main motive behind the plot,” according to investigators. (Source: Tyler Paper May 22, 2009)

In Cherokee County, the murder for remuneration would have resulted in an innocent outside the conspiracy being charged and the district attorney’s office dividing the insurance payouts with state witnesses, the widow and her lover. Similarly, former Cherokee County district attorney Charles Holcomb used the life insurance monies to pay State witnesses in State vs. Terry Watkins. (Source: Cherokeean Herald June 3, 1993)

Palestine, TX:
State licensed firearm instructor Ronnie Cook was charged with the murder of his wife after a May 13, 2009 standoff with police that lasted three hours. Palestine police had responded to a 911 call that indicated Cook may have shot his 62-year old wife.

Upshur County, TX:
Upshur County school teacher and coach John Cotcha Tiger, 40, of Longview, was sentenced by 115th District Court Judge Lauren Parish on charges of improper relationship between educator and student, and on-line solicitation of a minor, according to news releases. The victim was a 15-year old girl; Tiger was sentenced to two concurrent fifteen year prison terms. Sex assault of a minor charges were dropped, as part of the plea bargain.

Alto, TX:
Alto ISD PE coach Paul Dixon was indicted earlier this month for having an improper teacher/student relationship. His father, John Paul Dixon was also placed on administrative leave for allegedly interfering with witnesses and the investigation.

Paul Dixon was later accepted a plea bargain of 10 years probation for the statutory rape of a 16 year old Alto ISD student he was having sex with in Elementary School gym.  (Source: Tyler Paper)

Paul Dixon, Alto ISD coach for 24 years.

Bullard, TX:
City Secretary Patty McMillian Cooper , 63 of Troup, TX was fined and placed on probation for theft of city funds on March 27, 2007. She stole over $84,000 over a four year period. On Sunday, April 12, 2009 she was rearrested for theft of funds from another previous employer, Tyler, TX based Williams Law Firm. She is out of Smith County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Theft of city funds is pretty common in the Piney Woods.

Shelby County, TX:
Shelby County Sheriff Deputy Lana Sue "Susie" Calhoun , 49 of Timpson, was arrested for DWI by the DPS after a wreck in Garrison, TX. Sources indicate she had previously worked as a Nacogdoches County jailer and campus police for Stephen F. Austin State University. (Source: Longview News-Journal May 8, 2009)

Gregg County:
Two female Gregg County jailers have been arrested for assisting in the jail break of two inmates last week. Gracie Carrillo, 20 and Yvonne Oliver, 25 both from Longview, were charged with facilitating the escape of convicted murderer Desmond Jackson and murder suspect Bruce Kelly last Tuesday from the Gregg County jail. Carrillo and Oliver each face second and third degree felony charges.

Probated child molester arrested again for "sex assault of child." DPS reports age of victim.

April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month in Texas, and has been proclaimed as such by the county judge in Cherokee County. Are citizens aware that another sex offense arrest has recently occurred by a registered sex offender on probation? County officials are most certainly ‘aware’ of it.

Posted in February 2008: District Attorney gives probation to Rusk, Texas infant molester; Cherokee County newspapers never reported it.

Criminal Docket; Case 16209 ; AGG SEXUAL ASSAULT CHILD
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs FOLMAR, KENNETH DEXTER (DOB: 02/08/1963)
Filed 08/23/2005 - Disposition: 11/16/2006: 8 years deferred adjudication in the 2nd District Court, Cherokee County, Texas

Victim's age: 1

(Source: Texas Offender Registry and Family Watchdog)

Now a registered sex offender on probation and living within the community has been arrested again for what has been reported as the sex assault of a child. And again the local newspapers have buried the story in a slew of Cherokee County arrests for the time period of March 24 through March 30, 2009. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress April 5, 2009)

Rusk, TX: Registered sex offender Kenneth D. Folmar, who had been on probation given to him by the Cherokee County District Attorney, has been arrested for another child sex assault charge. Or has he? Kenneth "Kenny" Folmar, now 46, was serving eight years deferred adjudication for the Aggravated Sexual Assault of a one-year baby girl. He had been arrested in 2005 from the earlier incident and had prior drug possession convictions. His bond has not been set (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress).

Kenneth Dexter Folmar

Apparently the decision has been made decades ago that it is in the interest of the county to roll out the Welcome mat to sex offenders, in order to pilfer their probation dues. Remember, it is never in the interest of the children in Cherokee County, despite the propaganda pieces designed to shift attention and blame elsewhere. The Tyler Paper reports that Cherokee County officials and the local CPS declare April as “Child Abuse Awareness Month.” No mention of the paltry budget Cherokee County’s Child Protective Services must compete with in the Commissioner’s Court, against stocked catfish ponds, paving private driveways and contributions to everybody's hush funds.

The lie is that Cherokee County officials actually want to decrease the incidents of child abuse and child rape within the community, when in reality it is a source of income for the county coffers. Why would the district court place an individual such as the one above on monthly probation without treatment -even for the sex assault of an infant complete with pictures probably, when they are totally cognizant of the recidivism rate? Is it because they are arrogant and simply don’t care? Or is it that they would rather play small town politicians by conducting Blue Ribbon ceremonies to convince voters that Cherokee County officials are not making a living off the [repeated] sex offenses within the community?

The other lie is that "prosecutors' caseloads are too large." If that were true, why are they signing up sex offenders and opening up halfway houses all across the county?

Kenneth Folmar's recent arrest and age of the alleged victim has of course been buried by local media outlets, as they always do when the actions of allies of elected officials are too unsavory to print. Because sex offender Kenneth Folmar was not originally incarcerated (but instead granted probation and thus making him a monthly payment depositor into Cherokee County’s Corrections and Supervision account) he was free to in essence repeat his offense. There's no telling what this guy has been doing.

Quite frankly, if convicted sex offenders are sent off to prison, they won't be making monthly payments to the county. Is this why the Cherokee County district attorney recommends probation rather than incarceration in order to keep sex offenders’ monthly supervision fees at the county’s disposal? Would those who join in for the propaganda on the Rusk courthouse steps manage to shrug off complacency about the district attorney’s motives if the child preyed upon was their own?

If Cherokee County prosecutors possessed even an iota of genuine morality, the most egregious sex offenders wouldn’t be able to enrich the county coffers with Probationers' payments because they would be in prison. Instead, prosecutors' actions clearly show they are willing to risk pedophiles’ repeat offending in order to ensure continued deposits of local sex offenders’ money into county-owned and operated bank accounts.

If Cherokee County news agencies and their supporters possessed even a smidgen of integrity, they would be demanding resignation letters instead of celebrating and "blowing bubbles" on the Rusk courthouse lawn (Source: Tyler Paper).

A quick search of Texas jail records shows the other Cherokee County sex offenders on probation who have recently violated their community supervision orders. Sex offenders in the area on probation who have been arrested and/or absconded as of April 10, 2009:

• “Gary” Michael Morrison, b. 10/24/1957 Alto TX, aggravated sexual assault of a 12-year-old female; currently in the Cherokee County TX jail.


• Matthew Isiah White, b. 10/01/1988 Bullard TX, indecency by exposure involving a 15-year-old female; failure to register in Smith County TX.


• Christopher Steven Golman, b. 10/03/1972 Gallatin TX, aggravated sexual assault of a disabled 39 year-old female. Arrested in 2000 by Smith County authorities for public intoxication; transferred to TDCJ Michael Unit.


• John Keith Glenn, b. 7/16/1982 Jacksonville TX, aggravated sexual assault of an 8-year-old female; failure to register.


• Kevin Lynn Hawes, b. 10/29/1963 Jacksonville TX, aggravated sexual assault of a 15-year-old; probation violation sentenced to TDCJ.


• Christopher Michael Hennessy, b. 9/16/1980 Jacksonville TX, sexual assault of a 15-year-old female; absconded and sentenced to TDCJ.


• Paul Arlen Taylor b. 9/30/1955 Jacksonville TX, indecency by contact of a 13-year-old female; incarcerated in TDCJ.


• James William Hammons, Sr. b. 9/21/1960 Rusk TX, 8 years probation in 1998 for aggravated sexual assault of a 13-year-old female in Cherokee County; in 2008 drug possession in Cherokee County -sentenced 2 years State Jail time by district attorney. Currently incarcerated in Orange County jail.


• Jason Bradley Fears, b. 11/17/1988 Bullard TX, 3 ½ years State Jail for sex assault of 7-year old male in Cherokee County; recent failure to register- verified by Smith County, TX.

(Source: online Texas DPS Sex Offender Registry)

This is how Cherokee County operates: County officials generating misinformation while the local newspapers ever so cleverly hide the factual sex offense statistics from the public. They would rather dance around the courthouse blowing each other kisses, days after another child has been molested under their collective noses and on their watch. Days after an innocent child is sewn up in the hospital, they'll blame the “harder economic times” for the "alarming rate of child abuse " instead of the current Cherokee County District Attorney deliberately setting the stage for repeat sex offenses. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress)

As a footnote, the Jacksonville Daily Progress published an unprepared and unrehearsed rebuttal for the initial light sentencing of Kenneth D. Folmar, citing a “probation violation” for the more recent incarceration. They also report Kenneth Folmar was sentenced to 50 years confinement for “violating” the terms of his probation. The original presiding judge who accepted the initial deferred adjudication also presided over the revocation.

The Daily Progress has not issued a correction notice for the Cherokee County arrests for the week of March 24 through March 30, which initially reported Kenneth Folmar’s arrest as “aggravated sexual assault of a child.” As opposed to yet another sex offender not mentioned in either article, but again buried within the Jacksonville Daily Progress’ list of Cherokee County arrests for the time period April 14 through April 20, 2009: Cheney La-Vaughn Carter, dob. 2/1/1966, sex assault of 15 yr. old girl; given 10 yrs. probation. Carter is currently sitting in Cherokee County, TX without bond for violation of his (sex offense) probation.

No spur-of-the-moment articles have been printed explaining the Cheney Carter probation revocation. The Kenneth Folmar story on the other hand, had been up to this point completely ignored and buried. Of course, like clockwork, the big lie the local media, the Cherokee County District Attorney and district court would have their loyal readers believe is that the victim is to blame for not being willing to go to trial. Even in the case of an infant.

According to district attorney Elmer Beckworth

I remember this case well. In talking with her myself, she was not able to talk about it at all, and when the case came to grand jury she was able to talk about it only minimally,” Beckworth said. “With her inability to talk about it, I knew we were on real shaky ground. We went ahead and took the plea because there was the huge likelihood of him being found not guilty or even possibly of a directed verdict. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress)

The DPS sex offender registry actually lists the female victim as being a one-year old infant. Who are you gonna believe? Sex offenses by their very nature are prosecuted everyday without the trial testimony of the victim, or in the case the district attorney is referring to – a toddler who was molested while she was an infant. So they postponed Folmar's indictment and dragged the case out until she learned how to baby talk? The offense occurred in 2002; Folmar was formally charged 3 years later.

Attention Daily Progress: You need to verify your timelines. You are being lied to again.

View the Kenneth Dexter Folmar sex offender registry and victim’s age at: https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/Portal/index.aspx for a comparison of Fact Versus Fiction. The Sex Offender Regristry reports everything down to the shoe size of the offender.

Instead of being honest and admitting the Kenneth Folmar molestation wasn’t of any political interest to the district attorney’s office in 2005, Elmer Beckworth discloses the State’s prosecutorial strategy:

The only reason people ever get probation for the aggravated sexual assault of a child is because the victim isn’t able to participate in the trial. It can be very aggravating as a prosecutor to be in a situation like this where the whole case falls apart because the victim’s ability to testify has been compromised. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress)

Sounds like excuse-making by the same people who offered these indigent offenders their original lenient plea bargains. These probationers were rushed through the Cherokee County court system for admitting their guilt and willingness to contribute to the county payroll via Adult Supervision fees. You, the lowly taxpayers are supposed to believe that Kenneth Folmar’s nondisclosed court appointed counsel worked out his initial probation agreement with the district judge without Elmer Beckworth's recommendations.

It is the prosecutor who offers "adjudicated probation," not the defendant's lawyer. Plus the defendant must agree to a guilty or no-contest plea. The conviction remains on the defendant's record and in the case of a sexual assault, the defendant agrees to be registered as a sex offender for life. In the case of Kenneth Folmar, he pleaded guilty and agreed to everything Elmer Beckworth offered him.

This type of justification for probated child molesters is more like a ‘How-to-Guide.’ Local sex offenders will be even more emboldened now if they heed the District Attorney’s advice: if their victims are young enough and afraid enough not to testify, then the district judge will agree to a probated sentence.

The district attorney is saying the statements from arresting officers, examining doctors, and CPS specialist investigating the sex offense of an infant in Cherokee County simply won’t pass the litmus test for going to trial. Or the statements from those who caught the perpetrator in the act. Or any forsenic evidence for that matter. As if hearsay, innuendos and complete fabrication of evidence has never been enough to summon a petit jury in Cherokee County, Texas.

The fact is the district attorney’s focus has been on parading fictitious bail requirements in Austin (according to the 'Faye Harris amendment') during the same time period the majority of the sex offenders were shunted through their plea bargains. And just like Michael Harris (the man on felony bond who murdered his wife because her protective orders were not enforced) these offenders have struck again repeatedly. It was in 2005 that Jacksonville police officer Larry Pugh was on patrol and raping women at gunpoint.

Again, which are you gonna believe? That a 3-year old victim was actually called to a Cherokee County grand jury to testify what happened to her before her first birthday? Or the District Attorney's advice to sex offenders on how to avoid prison?

The only reason people ever get probation for the aggravated sexual assault of a child is because the victim isn’t able to participate in the trial. (Quote from the Jacksonville Daily Progress.)

Project Got to Fool 'Em Again is in full deployment this Month.

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.