February 4, 2025 - A Shelby County Grand Jury handed down 22 indictments on Monday, February 3, 2025. The grand jury was impaneled for the January 2025 term of the 123rd/273rd Judicial District Courts.
Darell Antwon Barnes was indicted for murder, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on October 22, 2024, Barnes caused the death of LaJagger Barnes by shooting him in the chest with a shotgun. (123rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: Center PD Investigates Shooting on Rex Street; One Suspect in Custody)
Denim Smith was indicted for murder, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on or about July 27, 2023, Smith caused the death of Camo Morton by shooting Morton in the head with a deadly weapon, a 12-gauge shotgun. (123rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: Law Enforcement Officials Investigate Shooting Incident on CR 4855)
Kendell Mardis was indicted for murder, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on or about August 2, 2023, Mardis caused the death of Camo Morton by shooting Morton in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun. (273rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: Law Enforcement Officials Investigate Shooting Incident on CR 4855)
Stacey Buford Ruth was indicted for assault on a public servant, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on September 28, 2024, Ruth recklessly caused bodily injury to [Center Police] Officer Brandon Tyler by wrestling him to the ground and striking him with his fists. The indictment further alleges, Ruth knew Tyler was a public servant who was lawfully discharging an official duty, namely relocating Ruth from Detox cell to a bedded cell at which time Ruth tried to escape from the Center Police Department. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Jacoban Rondarriou Kimone Pruitt was indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on October 22, 2024, Pruitt with intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination. The indictment further indicated the combination consisted of Pruitt, Jason Calloway, Chayse Duckett and M.J. Jr., who collaborated in carrying on the hereinafter described criminal activity, conspiring to commit the offense of aggravated assault from Sec. 71.02(a) by agreeing with each other that they would engage in the conduct that constituted the offense. The indictment further alleges Pruitt, Calloway, Duckett and M.J. Jr., performed an overt act in pursuance of the agreement, namely all occupants of the vehicle traveled to the scene to commit an aggravated assault on the family members located at the scene. (273rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: CPD Details Rex Street Shooting; Possible Retaliation Attempt Garners More Arrests)
Jason Calloway was indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on October 22, 2024, Calloway with intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination. The indictment further indicated the combination consisted of Calloway, Jacoban Pruitt, Chayse Duckett and M.J. Jr., who collaborated in carrying on the hereinafter described criminal activity, conspiring to commit the offense of aggravated assault from Sec. 71.02(a) by agreeing with each other that they would engage in the conduct that constituted the offense. The indictment further alleges Calloway, Pruitt, Duckett and M.J. Jr., performed an overt act in pursuance of the agreement, namely all occupants of the vehicle traveled to the scene to commit an aggravated assault on the family members located at the scene. (273rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: CPD Details Rex Street Shooting; Possible Retaliation Attempt Garners More Arrests)
Chayse Cornell Duckett was indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on October 22, 2024, Duckett with intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination. The indictment further indicated the combination consisted of Chayse Duckett, Jason Calloway, Jacoban Pruitt and M.J. Jr., who collaborated in carrying on the hereinafter described criminal activity, conspiring to commit the offense of aggravated assault from Sec. 71.02(a) by agreeing with each other that they would engage in the conduct that constituted the offense. The indictment further alleges Duckett, Calloway, Pruitt and M.J. Jr., performed an overt act in pursuance of the agreement, namely all occupants of the vehicle traveled to the scene to commit an aggravated assault on the family members located at the scene. (273rd Judicial District Court) (Related Article: CPD Details Rex Street Shooting; Possible Retaliation Attempt Garners More Arrests)
Harry Lee Allen, Jr., was indicted for theft of property >=$30K<$150K, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on February 25, 2022, Allen took 15.9 acres of land of the value of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000 from Bessie Mae Patrick, the owner, without the effective consent of Patrick and with intent to deprive Patrick of the property. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Jennifer Michelle Byrd was indicted for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on September 11, 2024, Byrd with intent to harm or defraud another, and without the consent or effective consent of Jody Hooper, used less than five items of identifying information of Hooper. The indictment further alleges, Byrd used bank routing numbers and bank account numbers to pay a cell phone bill using the bank numbers acquired from Hooper's check. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Kevin Earl Robinson was indicted for assault by choking, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on December 25, 2024, Robinson recklessly caused bodily injury to Lacharah Robinson, a member of Robinson's family as described by Section 71.003 of the Texas Family Code, by impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of Lacharah Robinson by applying pressure to the throat or neck and/or blocking the nose or mouth of Lacharah Robinson. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Janee Jordy was indicted for Count 1 - abandon/endangering child individual with intent to return, state jail felony; and Count 2 - abandon/endangering child individual with intent to return, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on November 26, 2024, Jordy knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical mental impairment by leaving the child unattended and the child was in the middle of a high traffic highway clothed only in a tee shirt. The indictment further alleges, on November 26, 2024, Jordy knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical mental impairment by leaving the child unattended and the child was in the middle of a high traffic highway clothed only in a diaper. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Allen R. Nestle was indicted for Count 1 - abandon/endangering child individual with intent to return, state jail felony; and Count 2 - abandon/endangering child individual with intent to return, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on November 26, 2024, Nestle knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical mental impairment by leaving the child unattended and the child was in the middle of a high traffic highway clothed only in a tee shirt. The indictment further alleges, on November 26, 2024, Nestle knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical mental impairment by leaving the child unattended and the child was in the middle of a high traffic highway clothed only in a diaper. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Chiantai Dartagnian Jordan was indicted for unlawful carry weapon with felony conviction, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on October 28, 2024, Jordan recklessly carried a handgun on or about his own person, and Jordan was not on his own premises or premises that were under Jordan's own control, and Jordan was not inside of or directly en-route to a motor vehicle or watercraft that was owned by Jordan or under Jordan's control.. The indictment further presents Jordan was prohibited from possessing a firearm under 46.04(a) of the Texas Penal Code, in that at the time of the commission of the charged offense he was previously convicted in 2016 for the felony offense of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and the possession of a firearm occurred before the fifth anniversary of Jordan's release from confinement following conviction of the felony. (273rd Judicial District Court)
James David Halbert was indicted for abandon/endanger child individual intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on July 21, 2024 Halbert intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by having marijuana accessible to the child. (123rd Judicial District Court)
James David Halbert was indicted for abandon/endanger child individual intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on July 21, 2024 Halbert intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by having marijuana accessible to the child. (123rd Judicial District Court)
James David Halbert was indicted for abandon/endanger child individual intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on July 21, 2024 Halbert intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by having marijuana accessible to the child. (123rd Judicial District Court)
James David Halbert was indicted for abandon/endanger child individual intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on July 21, 2024 Halbert intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engaged in conduct that placed a child younger than 15 years of age in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by having marijuana accessible to the child. (123rd Judicial District Court)
(Some of the following content contained within indictments is of a sensitive nature and may not be suitable for younger viewers.)
Lloyd Christopher Belrose was indicted for sex abuse of child continuous: victim under 14, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on December 2023, through November 2024, when Belrose was 17 years of age or older, committed two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 14 years of age. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Lloyd Christopher Belrose was indicted for sex abuse of child continuous: victim under 14, first degree felony. The indictment alleges, on December 2020, through November 2024, when Belrose was 17 years of age or older, committed two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 14 years of age. (273rd Judicial District Court)
(Dates in parenthesis indicate the date of the alleged incident):
- James David Halbert, possession of marijuana, state jail felony (July 21, 2024). (123rd Judicial District Court)
- Phillip Levi Lucas, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=1G<4G (methamphetamine), third degree felony (November 4, 2024). (273rd Judicial District Court)
- Robert Neil Armagost, III, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B <1G (methamphetamine), state jail felony (November 14, 2024). (123rd Judicial District Court)
Indictments and Information are not a conviction, and are a matter of public record. All individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
