Plea bargains equal paybacks; Conflicts of Law and Order

A case for and against jury sentencing.

Rusk, TX:
The ongoing saga of the missing $147,000 from the Rusk Texas water department finally has closure. Prior to her July 2009 trial, Rusk water department clerk Doris Robinson had been quietly preparing to pay back the first round of $50,000 increments she had stolen during her tenure as a Cherokee County public servant. Robinson pleaded guilty in open court and a sentencing jury was swayed to give her 10 years probation. She was fined $5,000 and ordered by presiding Judge Bascom Bentley III to pay back over a four year period, the remaining taxpayer monies that she embezzled over a two year period. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress July 9, 2009)

District [369th] Judge Bascom Bentley added his own stipulation that Robinson make her restitution within four years, with payments of at least $10,000 due, Dec. 31 of each year. (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress July 9, 2009)

Mrs. Robinson pleaded to embezzling over $145,000 from the taxpayers. Of course that would be $10,000 a year for four years for a total of $40,000; plus the $57,000 she paid at sentencing. That would leave an unnoticed remainder of $50,000 to go unaccounted...

courtesy Daily Progress

Not to go unnoticed in the news, the 369th District Court convened this mock trial on Wednesday July 8, 2009 and local newspapers followed suit. Mrs. Robinson agreed to have this local jury “decide” her punishment, which theoretically could have ranged from nothing to 10 years in state prison. The maleable jury was seated to assess only the punishment phase of the case. Robinson had previously waived her rights to a jury trial and she accepted District Attorney Elmer Beckworth’s plea bargain. Before deciding Mrs. Robinson's punishment, the Cherokee County jury heard opening statements, along with testimonies from witnesses. (Source: Tyler Paper July 9, 2009)

Strategically designated Cherokee County 'dignitaries' bombarded jurors with accolades about the Robinson family, while the specific methodology implemented to achieve the embezzlement was swept under the carpet. This was the punishment phase of the “trial;” guilt was already established though Mrs. Robinson was never forced to admit her guilt to the jurors. Local newspapers followed suit, leaving reasonable doubt that a clerical error could have resulted in the missing $150,000. It was in the hands of the 12 jurors to decide whether or not prison was appropriate for a 62-year old “Christian” woman without a CPA license (Source: Jacksonville Daily Progress July 9, 2009)

The State did not vigorously present mitigating factors for a harsher sentence, hence the premeditated deliberation of 10 years community supervision. The process itself is a contradiction (plea bargain acceptance, then jury sentencing of the same punishment), and is a not so clever way for district attorneys and judges to appear to be removed from the case. In a tiny town of only 5,000 people, that concept is entirely ridiculous. Mrs. Robinson’s fate was determined in the judge’s chamber months before the jury was vetted.

The fact is the presiding judge had already accepted the punishment of the defendant, because the district court is mandated by law to show record of the defendant voluntarily waiving his or her rights to a trial and PLEADING GUILTY.

From the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, when a trial by jury has been waived, the district judge determines the sentence. To stave off embarrassment of a long and costly trial, the Doris Robinson case followed the prosecution’s recommendation of probation. District Judges can either accept or reject said plea bargains. The precedent of jury sentencing is always under fire due to the nature of the limited evidence heard at sentencing, versus extensive and specific evidence allowed at trial. So don’t be snookered into believing it was the compassionate jury composed of five white women, a black woman and six white men sentencing Mrs. Robinson after 1 hour and 45 minutes of 'deliberation' who meted out probation as her sentence. (Source: Cherokeean Herald July 8, 2009)

The fix was in from day one because she was a city employee and faced Elmer Beckworth and a Cherokee County jury instead of a legitimate federal jury. Cherokee County Texas prosecutors, law enforcement and Beckworth's handpicked jurors are more interested in putting Civil Rights complainants in prison than public servants caught stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in city revenue.

According to the July 8, 2009 Cherokeean Herald, Doris Robinson was sentenced that same day to 10 years in prison, with that sentence probated for 10 years, fined $5,000 in her “theft trial” and ordered to pay $143,000 in restitution. Readers of Rusk’s local Cherokeean newspaper are predictably misled into presuming defendant Robinson was scrutinized in a full-fledged “theft trial” by jurors who then sentenced her to repay the money in order to avoid imprisonment.

BEFORE July 8, 2009, Mrs. Doris Robinson pleaded guilty to theft of Rusk Water Department funds in her plea bargain, which resulted in her avoiding a “theft trial” by jury with its inherent risk of imposition of incarceration if found guilty by those trial jurors. So why in the world is it permissible for the court’s time (taxpayers’ money) to be squandered on assembling a jury panel solely for the purpose of sentencing confessed thief Mrs. Robinson when the district judge is the one with the authority to impose sentencing of plea bargainers?

It is quite implausible that Mrs. Robinson’s capable legal advisors would have approved her written admission of guilt if that document did not contain the specific requirements for avoidance of incarceration, to include but not limited to, her acknowledgement that she will repay within a set timeline the funds she admitted stealing. It’s smoke and mirrors Cherokee County style with public officials and local media creating the illusion that courthouse employees are honorably utilizing the salaries they draw from the taxpayers’ collective wallet. The fact is the Robinson probation sentence was already a done deal in verbiage of her signed plea and sentencing agreement.

As usual, they want to have it both ways when 'Project Got to Fool 'Em Everyday' is in full swing. If a local steals the same amount of money from a federally insured bank, then a stiffer penalty and different outcome can be expected outside the tainted Cherokee County legal process.


Jacksonville, TX:
47-year old bank teller Lloyd Wayne Rock, also from Jacksonville, TX, was indicted in federal court for stealing over $145,000 from a Bank of America located in Tyler, TX. Rock is accused of stealing the money since he began his employment at the Tyler branch in 1995. Lloyd Rock pleaded guilty on July 29 to the embezzlement charge and faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted. (Source: Tyler Paper July 29, 2009)

Wood County, TX:
Wood County officials are requesting the Texas Rangers move their attention away from Cherokee County and come on down to help find $1,063 missing from the county treasurer’s office. Treasurer Becky Cannon faces a Wood County grand jury for the “misplaced funds” from the sale of scrap metal. (Source: Tyler Paper July 29, 2009)

Rusk County, TX:
A female prison guard at the Henderson Bradshaw Unit has been arraigned for paying an inmate to perform sex acts on her. Hether Bargsley, 32 was fired June 13 after admitting to officials she had paid a prisoner $200 for having sex in a doorway.

Rusk County Sheriff Department dispatcher and warrant clerk Kristy Campbell, 43, was charged on July 31 with cashing in a stolen money order of a missing $500 bond.Theft of service by a public official is a state jail felony. (Source Tyler Paper July 31, 2009)

Smith County, TX:
A Pct. 1 Smith County Deputy Constable, who is also the son of Precinct 3 Commissioner Terry Phillips, is under investigation for being on the payroll but not having a TCLEOSE police officer’s license. Derek Lee Phillips, age 23 had come under scrutiny by the Texas Rangers after an incident the night of June 29, in which he pulled a handgun on guests at his father’s property. Phillips has been patrolling with other deputies and identifying himself as a deputy constable, despite being unlicensed. (Source: Tyler Paper July 16, 2009)

One official said the county is liable for officers and deputies, and a person with as many citations as Phillips would also be a problem for insurance. (Source: Tyler Paper July 16, 2009)

A stark difference of facts presented in neighboring Smith County;
Cherokee County’s liability insurance provider in concert with elected officials have a proven track record of schmoozing public opinion that its policyholder county is a low-risk client. Even after hiring gypsy cops and rapists who cause huge insurance claims for the county that employs them.

A female deputy Smith County constable is also under Texas Ranger investigation and is also patrolling Pct. 1. This after she was alleged to have instigated a scuffle at her former boyfriend’s Tyler apartment complex. Newly licensed Minerva Martin is accused of going to a former boyfriend’s apartment to confront him and his current girlfriend, according to witnesses’ accounts and disturbance calls.( Source: Tyler Paper July 23, 2009)

It is also reported that TCLEOSE officials have recommended Precinct 1 Constable Henry Jackson’s license be revoked. Constable Jackson pleaded guilty in August 2008 to a Misdemeanor count of tampering with a governmental record and was given six months deferred adjudication. He also pleaded no contest to a Class C assault charge from sexual harassment and official oppression allegations. (Source: Tyler Paper July 17, 2009)

Constable Henry Jackson

Tyler, TX:

Tyler, TX Police Chaplain Anwar Khalifa was arrested in a Dallas hotel by an off duty Frisco, TX police officer, when the officer working security caught Khalifa smoking marijuana in the parking lot. Khalifa, the former head of the East Texas Islamic Society, was asked to resign by Tyler's chief of police. (Source: Tyler Paper July 23, 2009)

Frisco Police Sgt. Crawford took the remainder of the marijuana and rolling paper and logged it as evidence and also notified the Tyler Police Department of the incident. (Source: Tyler Paper July 23, 2009)

Anwar Khalifa (Courtesy KLTV Tyler, TX)

A stark difference from a recent Cherokee County, TX episode when Constable Randall Thompson was arrested by federal agents on the Mexican border for meth distribution. Instead of turning his badge in, Randy Thompson continued his role as Pct. 3 Constable up to the day he was indicted in federal court on drug charges. Employers of public officials such as Constable Thompson and Khalifa are always notified when the employee is arrested elsewhere. Despite Cherokee County's pattern of pretending not to know their political allies have been arrested and are facing federal indictment the next day. Cherokee County's District Attorney's office, the Sheriff's Department and constables routinely "split the revenue" of seized property during drug raids (even airplanes), without oversight. (Source: Cherokeean Herald August 27, 2008)



Jacksonville, TX:
Jacksonville High School assistant coach Jerry Chism, 34 of Longview, was placed on administrative leave after being indicted for participating in illegal dog-fights. The football coach had been arrested in November 2008 for a DWI in Gregg County, before transferring to nearby Jacksonville ISD where he was employed for approximately one year.

Jerry "Scotty" Chism was arrested July 8 in Panola County during a three-state sting which led to over 25 other defendants being indicted in federal court for animal cruelty. (Source: Tyler Paper July 16, 2009)

JHS Coach Jerry Chism

Jacksonville, TX: Convicted rapist cop linked to missing witness' remains, while JPD gets awards for crime reporting; Floods bring FEMA.

Despite the fact that former Jacksonville, TX police officer Larry Pugh has been sentenced to 12 years maximum confinement in federal prison for rape and retaliation, local Cherokee County media outlets appear to be in damage control. Officer Pugh is also linked to the skeletal remains of one of his sexual assault complainants, found in the Angelina National Forest last year. Newspapers out of the county report that two women slated to testify against Pugh in federal court went missing after Pugh made bond before his Civil Rights trial. Only callous reports of the dead witnesses by Cherokee County media, referring to the missing women as drug addicts and homeless bag ladies. Repeating Larry Pugh's perjury in print.


Former JPD Larry Pugh

But just for argument’s sake, let’s ask ourselves: So what if these women were homeless addicts. Our nation’s creed is justice for all. Not justice only for those with heavy wallets and fancy houses. Yet the deaths of those women were disregarded by local law enforcement as though they were nothing more than roadside litter. You can bet your bottom dollar that if those two now dead witnesses against Officer Pugh had instead been connected to Cherokee County’s version of high-class families, the mystery of their deaths (before they could testify about Pugh) would have been top priority for all the county’s ‘justice’ officials. No homicide investigation required in these missing women's cases.

Blood stained lies.

Lies are created by corrupt justice officials because public corruption at its basest, most indispensably fundamental level requires deception as its cornerstone. And perpetuation of that deceit into infinity, often with the help of small town newspapers and the old wives club. The inherent nature of the lies propagandized by corrupt law enforcement authorities requires habitual creation of new lies while simultaneously embellishing their old ones. In order to daily successfully gull the lay population, these very dangerous men AND women must never ever cease toiling to maintain their virtuous façades. And their first choice methodology is always smear mongering, reputation-pulverizing those who are able to expose their covert illegal activities.

The survival of their cult of confession is dependent upon their criminal activities remaining unknown and hidden from public scrutiny/accountability. So they destroy the credibility of anyone who places them at risk to be discovered. They are literally sociopaths who cannot allow those outside their cult to gain enough momentum to topple their slimy underground criminal world. Therefore they tell one lie, then another and another ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Thousands, and thousands and thousands of times. They have chosen to damn themselves into a netherworld of constant lying in order to feed their addiction to their creed, which is: "How many can we fool today?" "What can we get the local media to print this week?" Lies times ten thousand.

And, like true sociopaths, they find lying about those outside their cult of confession invigorating, exhilarating FUN. These men and women are comparable to serial killers in that they ENJOY destroying others. Example: the person(s) responsible for the deaths of those two missing material witnesses against ex-Jacksonville police officer Larry Pugh. The local media shows no remorse they can no longer testify. The killer is happily sated until, like Jack the Ripper, the urge to silence the next victim becomes uncontrollable again. In the interim, the killer and others in Cherokee County’s cult of confession will do what they do best: Lie as often and as effortlessly as they blink. While they occupy pews in the local churches and attend sorority luncheons and Lions Club functions. All the while maintaining constant vigil that somebody else will step forward and take the place of the murdered witnesses whose testimony would doubtless have further ruined that rapist/federal felon/Cherokee county 'law' officer AND his cohorts. This is standard operating procedure and has been for decades.
Ironically, ex-Officer Larry Pugh's former employers, the Jacksonville, TX police department got a recent rave review by the Texas Crime Information Center. In a strange stroke of luck, the TX Crime Info Center did a quick audit this month of Pugh's former employers and gave the Jacksonville police department gold stars for their 911 dispatch and crime reporting.

As a follow up from the May 12, 2007 posting regarding the Rape Crisis Centers operated by Anderson and Cherokee County after Larry Pugh's attacks have been reported in the following:
First a "change in funding" to the Jacksonville based crisis center, the one Pugh's last rape victims checked into. And another article on the loss of federal funds for the Jacksonville, TX Rape Crisis Center. That explains the city's apparent inaction in helping Pugh's victims and gives the story a nice little bow on top to explain away Larry Pugh's retaliation sentence ---he was convicted of raping a woman, then tracking her down in a van.

The Cherokee County safe house has an apparent poor rating with the East Texas Council of Governments, so its someone else's fault the Jacksonville based center can't collect a local police officer's DNA.

To win back the hearts and minds of the locals, The Jacksonville Daily Progress does report in its July 6, 2007 issue that the Jacksonville PD, along with the DEA, seized 127 grams of methamphetamines from a local crack head. Quite impressive given the fact that just last year Cherokee County's district court bailiff Randy Thompson (369th Judicial District) was sentenced to 10 years for having his own meth lab, while milking the county for gas money as Constable Precinct 3.


Another tactic by local East Texas media outlets is to put drug busts out of the area on their front pages, like The Tyler Morning Telegraph's July 22, 2007 issue that states "Agents Find Field with 10000 Marijuana Plants." You have to read it to find out the marijuana field was in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, not anywhere near Tyler, TX 150 miles away. Drugs seized in East Texas rarely make it out of the local precincts or are reported to the DPS.

Rusk county, TX: Nearby, the Tyler Morning Telegraph does report that neighboring Rusk County's Chief Deputy Daniel Flanagan admitted to beating a handcuffed prisoner back in November 2006 as part a plea agreement. Ex-Chief Deputy "Dusty" Flanagan faced US District Judge Michael Schneider after being investigated and charged with assault by the DPS office and Tyler, TX FBI.
Two other Rusk County deputies involved in the police brutality were not charged. Flanagan and Rusk Co. Sheriff Glen Deason are also involved in a sexual harassment suit. After decades of corruption charges and multiple federal investigations, the good people of Rusk County are starting to clean house in the Rusk County Sheriff's Department.
There has been a litany of charges against the Rusk County Sheriff's Department from civil rights violations, stealing drug seizure monies, child pornography and insurance fraud.

Local: Both The Jacksonville Daily Progress and Rusk's Cherokeean Herald plaster their front pages in the month of June and July with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals decision to uphold the murder conviction and death sentence of local dirtbag Beunka Adams, the easiest to prove capital murder case in Texas history.


TX death row inmate Beunka Adams

Each week a new update on the 2004 murderer's death row appeal----The only reported murder in the county in 3 years. The murders not championed or reported on are the ones of 2 missing women waiting to testify against Larry Pugh, Cherokee County and the City of Jacksonville, Texas. Where's the victims' advocacy for Officer Pugh's rape victims?

The Beunka Adams capital murder case has been reported so many times by the Cherokee County media (trying to keep it fresh in the minds of the readers) that one would think it happened in 2007.

The Jacksonville Daily Progress does lament on the fact that the population of Cherokee County only increased by 300 people in 2006 in its July 6, 2007 issue. Still, no mention of Jacksonville PD's Larry Pugh or his victim's body being found mutilated and decomposing. Maybe that explains Cherokee County's zero population growth...
No mention that this missing woman was to testify against Pugh, after her rape complaint was passed on by the Cherokee County District Attorney's office. It takes the Tyler Morning Telegraph to mention it.

Perhaps this why intelligent business people are fleeing the corrupt county at record rates.
The article cites that the city of Rusk gained 22 people and Alto, TX gained 1 citizen. That gives local law enforcement only 23 new illegal phone drops to install. Just like the good ol' days.

And another mediocre drug bust to champion, via an illegal phone drop on the local Jacksonville, TX crack dealer or as Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell calls it: "intelligence gathering." Everybody looks good after busting their drug informants and users.

According to the same article in a few years Cherokee County may actually have 50,000 residents; meaning about 250,000 illegally registered voters. As they say in Cherokee County during the primaries, "Vote Early and Vote Often!"


The months of June and July 2007 have seen record breaking rain events, with substantial flooding in the East Texas region. Smith County Judge Joel Baker (Tyler, TX) will be seeking federal relief funds for road and infrastructure repairs after the deluge. The city of Jacksonville, TX has been granted close to $100,000 for issues unrelated to flooding; mainly for fire safety and hydrilla problems in Lake Jacksonville. Creeks may have swollen to floodstage but you'll never read much about it in the Cherokee County media, because it might require county funds to address the issue (and matching county funds). Neighboring Smith County has a more observant media that will track the federal monies and hold their elected officials responsible for repairs.


In good 'ol Cherokee County to the south of Tyler, TX , county road and bridge repair will take the backseat for more effacacious uses for the grant money. Frequent rainfall in the months of June and July have produced broken sewer systems, contaminated well water and highway closures, however nothing is reported in the Cherokee County media, other than the opposite : "the rainfall has been good for hay bailing."

Despite the obvious county road closures and utility damage caused by the flooding, Cherokee County will barely disclose (in the fine print of a strategically placed front page picture) the fact that it too, is seeking federal disaster relief. People in northern Cherokee County, around Lake Jacksonville and the Texas State Railroad, expect their officials to use FEMA money to fix their neighborhoods after the deluge. The Jacksonville Daily Progress reports that Cherokee County is declared a disaster area because County Judge Chris Davis
has filed the paperwork with Gov. Rick Perry's office. It is reported that FEMA will set up shop in Jacksonville, TX and panhandlers and insurance defrauders alike are encouraged to register for the government handouts.
Neighboring counties have had actual loss-of-life, but for Cherokee County, Texas FEMA is sounding the dinner bell. Unfortunately, FEMA is basing the assistance on population, instead of ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS as reported in the following counties: Archer, Bell, Brown, Burnet, Cherokee, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Hamilton, Hood, Lampasas, Llano, Parker, Runnels, Smith, Starr, Tarrant, Travis, Victoria, Webb, Wichita and Williamson.

According to the local experts, Lake Jacksonville is a whopping 6 inches higher than normal. And besides, other counties to the north such as the ones actually hit the hardest are seeking federal aid packages. More financial assistance for Cherokee County is the request.

The focus on assistance by the local media is on the residents surrounding the flooded Lake Jacksonville, not the county bridges and roads in the outskirts of the county.

Editor's note: The Rusk, Texas Cherokeean Herald has not reported on the Larry Pugh case, despite the fact that Cherokee County District Attorney Investigator Joe Evans 'testified' at the Pugh civil rights violation trial. No mention of Pugh's actions against Jacksonville business owner Larry Hinton and no mention of Pugh's sentencing.

Why didn't the Rusk, TX Cherokeean Herald print the fact that the 369th District Court bailiff had been sentenced to 12 years for intent to distribute meth?
As far as any federal disaster relief, that money is obviously going to be made available to the rain soaked county.


Post script, the August 23, 2007 Cherokeean Herald online reports that Cherokee County will receive $445,000 in federal flood aid issued by FEMA to 223 people living in the county. Their names will be linked to for the readers' perusal. Neighboring Smith County and the hardest hit only collects $340,000. Cherokee County has a population of less than 50,000 based on the 2005 census and Smith County dwarfs them with 180,000 residents. Do the math.

Rusk County Deputy commits suicide amidst corruption; New Summerfield mayor "destroys taped phone calls"

Rusk County, TX:

 
A 56 year old Rusk County Sheriff Deputy weeks away from retirement committed suicide inside the Rusk Sheriff Department early Thursday June 14, 2007. Lieutenant Fred Dunlap arrived to work at 5:30 am and apparently shot himself in the chest. Many of his former allies within Rusk County were under a Federal civil rights investigation, though Dunlap was never named an actual suspect in wrongdoing.

Investigators: Deputy Found Dead In Uniform Closet Left Suicide Note, Jun 15, 2007
The Rusk County, Texas, sheriff's lieutenant who apparently shot himself to death in a department uniform closet on Thursday left a suicide letter, authorities said.Colleagues of Lt. Fred Dunlap, 56, said they were unaware he had problems that would lead him to take his own life. Authorities did not release the contents of a letter Dunlap left behind. Dunlap was found by other deputies about an hour after he reported to work Thursday morning at the sheriff's department in Henderson. He had a gunshot wound to the chest. Dunlap apparently muffled the sound of the gun by using layers of uniforms kept in the closet, authorities said. Rusk County district attorney's investigator William Brown said Dunlap was close to retirement. He called Dunlap "a good man and a good officer. He tended to his business and left everyone else alone." Texas Rangers are investigating Dunlap's death. (The Associated Press contributed to this report) (KTBS)

Lt. Fred Dunlap's suicide note has not been made public.

 
According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph "Investigators at the scene have confirmed there was a lengthy suicide note, which indicated Dunlap had some knowledge of alleged corruption that has recently come to light." Reports list the similar allegations occurring in Cherokee County, Texas, namely recent insurance fraud and civil rights violations within the Sheriff Department. Lt. Dunlap had been with the Rusk Co. Sheriff's Department since 1984. Following several civil right violations, fellow Rusk County Deputies were sentenced to federal prison for covering up the beating of prisoner held in the Rusk County jail. Lt. Johnny Davidson, who headed the Rusk County sheriff's office criminal investigation division, and Deputy Chief Dusty Flanagan were involved a November 2006 incident, along with unnamed officers.
Rusk County Deputy Dusty Flanagan pleaded guilty on July 18, 2007 for the civil rights violations and was later sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.

(Courtesy KLTV)

According to information presented in court, on November 9, 2006, Flanagan was employed as the Chief Deputy with the Rusk County Sheriff's Office. That morning another officer arrested an individual on an outstanding state warrant. Flanagan was contacted and instructed the officer to transport the prisoner to the Rusk County Sheriff's Office in Henderson, Texas. He was then taken to Flanagan's office where he was interviewed. Flanagan and two other officers were present in the office with the prisoner. Another officer was stationed outside the door during the incident.

 

The man was placed in a chair and interviewed. Flanagan admitted that during questioning, a heated exchange of words occurred at which time one of the officers in the room grabbed the prisoner and hit him in the face. Flanagan then threw the man to the ground, jumped on him and kneed him in the back. The man was handcuffed with his hands behind his back during the entire incident. The victim was then taken to jail. Flanagan also admitted that he took photographs of the office area where the assault occurred and wrote a fraudulent report regarding the incident. (Courtesy KLTV)

Rusk County Deputy Johnny Davidson, Jr. pleaded guilty on Aug. 2, 2007 and was later sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for "excessive force."

(Courtesy KLTV)

 
New Summerfield, Texas:
The New Summerfield City Council heard from fired ex-police chief Tony Almengor who alleged his termination last year was a result of him whistle blowing to the Cherokee County District Attorney. The former New Summerfield police chief claimed that current Mayor Dan Stallings destroyed secret tape recordings of conversations with officials. New Summerfield Councilwoman Sherry Solomon countered that Almengor was fired for an improper relationship with the city secretary and for violating the city's time card policies.

The Jacksonville Daily Progress reports "According to Almegor, the beginning of the end for he and [city secretary Chrisina] Collier was earlier this year when Collier allegedly witnessed Mayor Stallings destroy a tape that contained phone conversations between the mayor and former Mayor Jerry Carlile.

"Danny Stallings bought a recorder himself, put it on his phone here in the office and did record Jerry Carlile when he would call and told Jerry Carlile he was recording him,” she [Collier]said.“The tapes didn’t belong to the city, the recorder didn’t belong to the city, they weren’t city property.” (Daily Progress)

New Summerfield City Secretary Chrisina Collier was terminated the same day as police chief Tony Almengor. They were accused of having an improper relationship. Weeks later, Mayor Stallings hired gypsy cop Michael Meissner as Almengor's replacement.

 Michael Meissner was a gypsy cop notorious for bouncing small town to small town in North East Texas. WFAA News 8 did a 3 part expose' on Messiner that aired in 2005.

Watch the video at:
http://www.youtube.com/michaelmeissnerweb

 

Mayor Dan Stallings had stood by the Michael Meissner hiring and Meissner was subsequently fired by the New Summerfield City Council in March 2007. Meissner has a criminal record and by not being a certified peace officer, placed the city at risk regarding insurance and liability. Texas law and TCLEOSE licensing requires a thorough background check of police candidates. Meissner had had 15 police jobs in 15 years. Regardless, Michael Meissner was handpicked as Tony Almengor's replacement as New Summerfield's Chief of Police.

Prior to former New Summerfield, TX mayor Jerry Carlile resigning in August 2006, police chief Randal Kennedy and city treasurer Cindy Carson were terminated. Kennedy had also been employed with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department for over a decade, then subsequently fired. He was later placed in New Summerfield as the city's police chief by former Mayor Carlile. Mayor Dan Stallings would ultimately approve of the hiring of Almengor and Meissner.

Michael Meissner courtesy DPS

 
New Summerfield, Texas currently has no active police department; the city is patrolled by the Cherokee County Sheriff Deputies. As for the destroyed tape recordings between Mayor Stallings and former mayor Carlile, who knows? It is not an issue for a city employee to record his/her phone calls. It is an issue for a 3rd party to be secretly someone else's, no matter what the CCSD or D.A.'s office has advised. The FBI and Texas Rangers are the entities that can record 3rd party phone calls, and even they need a warrant and have to listen in IN REAL TIME. State and County jails can record inmates phone calls, as Nacogdoches County Sheriff Kerss admits in print but Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell denies.

Cherokee County employs deputized GTE and former Lufkin Conroe Telephone Exchange employees who are directed and paid for by the Cherokee County District Attorney's office.

The Cherokee County District Attorney Investigator's prime duty is to initiate 'outlaw' phone drops on political enemies and potential jurors. Federal grant money and funds from the coffers of the State of Texas are given as payment to informants, who just happen to be close relatives of members of the Cherokee County establishment. Recording a phone call is not illegal unless both parties are not aware of it being done by a 3rd party, therefore a slippery slope.

In a town that small, every phone call coming out of city hall is being routed to somebody's grandma's farm for a Cherokee County constable or three to listen in on. Yes Sir, every one of New Summerfield's city business calls are intercepted by somebody out of the CCSD and recorded somewhere down the road. Why would they accuse the mayor of "destroying tapes" of city business calls, which the mayor has ever legal right to record? It's that third party recording, the home phones and the pay phone at the Dairy Queen (if New Summerfield has one) that law enforcement record via outlaw drops. Ever notice how many reserve Cherokee County Sheriff deputies are also full time LCTX or GTE linemen? 

 
As far as Michael Meissner is concerned, his lack of proper TCLEOSE certification put the city at risk in terms of liability insurance. Those that defend and support Meissner should stop and think about the hiring of Larry Pugh by Jacksonville, TX PD. Can New Summerfield afford similar civil rights suit?