June 21, 2021 - Multiple agencies from Texas and Louisiana joined forces to apprehend a wanted fugitive in the Timpson area Thursday, June 17, 2021.
According to Josh Tipton, Constable Precinct 5, he received an anonymous tip on the location of Charles Seth Alexander, 32, of Timpson, who was wanted on several warrants out of Nacogdoches County.
Constable Tipton reports surveillance of Alexander's location was initiated around 8:30am Thursday and he coordinated with Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 3, to seek the assistance of DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department in supplying a drone for aerial observation of the suspect location.
The drone helped confirm activity on the property and Constable Tipton then continued surveillance in an unmarked vehicle from which he witnessed Alexander operating a tractor on the property.
From the command post established by the officers, they continued to observe Alexander until Tim Barton, Garrison Police Chief arrived with his K9 Madox to assist. Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Department investigators were also called to the scene.
As Alexander was exiting the property where he had been located, on the tractor he was operating, Constable Tipton and Chief Barton began to follow Alexander with intent to stop him and place him in custody; however, Alexander drove the tractor through a gate and exited the tractor, leaving it running.
Unaware of the direction Alexander fled in, Chief Barton Deployed K9 Madox who quickly tracked and located Alexander with ease. Alexander was located in a wooded area, and was laying down where officers wouldn't have been able to have located him as easily, and might have even missed him.
Officers report how invaluable K9 Madox was in locating the suspect quickly and safely.
"The dog alerted where he was, and therefore we were able to apprehend the suspect, Seth Alexander," said Constable Tipton.
After Alexander was located, Nacogdoches County investigators then took custody of Alexander and transported him to Nacogdoches.
According to Nacogdoches County Jail booking information, Alexander was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by felon, felony 3; theft of property >$2,500 <$30,000, state jail felony; burglary of a building, state jail felony; unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, state jail felony; criminal trespass, misdemeanor b; theft of property >$100 <$750, misdemeanor b; warrant - other: magistrate, misdemeanor a.
Constable Tipton offered a special thank you to Constable 3 Roy Cheatwood, Tim Barton Garrison Police Department K9 Unit, DeSoto Parish, Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Department investigators, and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
Chief Tim Barton is seen with K9 Madox as he gives commands to his suspect (Dillon Cook - training decoy) to surrender.
In light of the obvious effectiveness of K9 Madox in apprehending Alexander, Shelby County Today arranged to meet with Chief Barton and Madox during a K9 training event in Garrison.
On that day, they were training with K9 Trainer Tony Villalobos, Jon Randolph, Mt. Enterprise City Marshal and his K9 Vana; and Dillon Cook, training decoy.
To insure K9 officers are always at the height of their effectiveness in helping protect the community, K9 handlers train with their dogs a minimum of four hours a week, but more often than not they train everyday.
"We try to make the situations and everything as real as possible, what they face out in the street," said Tony Villalobos, K9 trainer.
Villalobos explained criminals try and mask their illegal substances in a variety of ways, but that just seems to peak the K9's interest even more because they can still smell the substances they've been trained to locate.
"All it does is it attracts more attention to the dog," said Villalobos.
As K9 Madox is working to apprehend his suspect, Chief Barton is seen in the background giving him commands.
The training team traveled to different areas in and around Garrison to train on locating and apprehension. In a wooded area, Dillon Cook was the decoy for apprehension training and he donned a full body protective suit to prevent injury from dog bites, and allow the K9s to practice. In the instance of the apprehension of Alexander, K9 Madox didn't have to bite because he complied and came out of his hiding place.
As the dogs trailed Cook through the woods where he was hiding, it was remarkable how quickly Madox and Vana were able to move in individually on their suspect with magnetic like force until they reached their target.
Each with their handler in tow, they advanced, and when their subject did not comply or fought, they would bite and pull down the suspect until he would comply. In addition to their training, throughout the altercation their handler is in constant communication giving them and the suspect commands.
Chief Barton explained Madox was purchased from Signal K9 LLC, with the funding being split initially between the city of Garrison and the police department seizure fund.
"He's seized narcotics and assisted in federal cases and assisted other agencies," said Chief Barton
Mt. Enterprise City Marshal Jon Randolph and K9 Vana have located their suspect in an abandoned building.
After that the Nacogdoches County District Attorney's office relieved the pressure on both accounts by providing the funds for the K9, which returned those funds to the police department and city.
"We have a forfeiture account and we reimbursed the City of Garrison and the Garrison PD," said Andrew Jones, Nacogdoches County District Attorney. "[Those funds] need to go to law enforcement purposes, and I have a hard time thinking of anything better than a K9."
DA Jones said he appreciates Chief Tim Barton and all he has done.
Chief Barton observes as K9 Madox searches a local feed store, one of the locations where the K9s recently trained.
