August 29, 2024 - A Shelby County Grand Jury handed down 26 indictments on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The grand jury was impaneled for the July 2024 term of the 123rd/273rd Judicial District Courts.
Torin Elige McSwain was indicted for prohibited weapon, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on June 7, 2024, McSwain possessed a short barrel firearm, specifically the barrel of the firearm measured approximately 10 inches, a violation of Texas Penal Code 46.05 Prohibited Weapons. The indictment further alleges the weapon was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives or not subject to that registration requirement, and the weapon was not classified as a curio or relic by the United States Department of Justice. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Torin Elige McSwain was indicted for escape from custody, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on June 17, 2024, McSwain escaped from the custody of John Mills, who was then and there the jail administrator at the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, when McSwain was under arrest for the offense of possession of a prohibited weapon, a felony. (273rd Judicial District Court) (Related article: Law Enforcement Apprehend Escaped Inmate)
Dontay Demond Barnes was indicted for theft of property, >=$150K<$300K, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on May 20, 2024, Barnes took a white 2022 Mack truck and a silver 2024 Pace trailer, of the value of $150,000 or more but less than $300,000, from Tyson Foods, the owner, without the effective consent of Tyson Foods and with intent to deprive Tyson Foods of the property. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Crystal Dawn Smith was indicted for abandoning/endangering a child with intent/knowledge/reckless/criminal negligence. The indictment alleges, on August 3, 2024, while Smith had custody, care, or control of a child younger than 15 years of age intentionally abandoned the child in a place that exposed the child to an unreasonable risk of harm. Namely, leaving the child unattended in a hotel room. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Ragan Mitchell Kryst was indicted for abandoning/endangering a child with intent/knowledge/reckless/criminal negligence. The indictment alleges, on August 3, 2024, while Kryst had custody, care, or control of a child younger than 15 years of age intentionally abandoned the child in a place that exposed the child to an unreasonable risk of harm. Namely, leaving the child unattended in a hotel room. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Kevin J. Zamora was indicted for theft of property >=$2,500<$30K, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on June 26, 2024, Zamora took a Snapper lawn mower valued at $4,000, Kubota L3400 HST tractor valued at $16,000, box blade, bush hog, Toro riding lawn mower, multiple antiques, miscellaneous power tools, table saw, chop saw, air compressor, and a white 1999 USCA cargo trailer of the value of $2,500 or more but less than $30,000, from Phillip M. Amos, the owner, without effective consent and with intent to deprive of the owner of the property. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Brittney Nicole Smith was indicted for obstruction or retaliation, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on March 24, 2024, Smith threatened to harm Cortney Tindol by an unlawful act, namely threaten to shoot her, in retaliation for or on account of the service or status of Cortney Tindol as a public servant, namely, Child Protective Services Case Manager. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Brittney Nicole Smith was indicted for burglary of a habitation, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on March 24, 2024, Smith entered a habitation without the consent of Candy Myers, the owner, and attempted to commit or committed theft of a 22 caliber rifle owner by Myers. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Tammy Sue Sims was indicted for theft of property >=$2,500<$30K, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on May 5, 2024, Sims took an Apple iPhone 14, four chrome rims, a set of Memphis sub-woofers and amp, several chainsaws, red Honda motorcycle CRF450R 5000, and a blue Yamaha GT125 800 of the value of $2,500 or more but less than $30,000 from Christopher Weaver and Amanda Wright, the owner, without effective consent and with intent to deprive of the owner of the property. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Covarcea J. Simmons was indicted for theft of firearm, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on March 30, 2024, Simmons took a firearm from Alberto Cuero, the owner, without effective consent and with intent to deprive of the owner of the property. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Gary Lewis Smith was indicted for injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on May 21, 2024, Smith caused bodily injury to Steven Parker, an individual 60 years of age or older and disabled, by hitting him in the left eye and throwing him to the ground. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Ricardo Lagunas Rodriguez was indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on April 8, 2024, Rodriguez with intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination the combination consisting of Rodriguez and Jonathan Vincente and Marlena Poore and an unknown man hereinafter known as FNU LNU, who collaborated in carrying on the hereinafter described criminal activity. The indictment goes on to say the group conspired to commit the unlawful offense of unlawful possession of stolen property and weapons by agreeing with each other that they would engage in conduct that constituted the offense, and Rodriguez, Vincente and Armando Huerta and FNU LNU, performed an overt act in pursuance of the agreement, namely unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance or dangerous drug while, in possession of stolen property and weapons. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Marlena Merissa Poore was indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity, state jail felony. The indictment alleges, on April 8, 2024, Poore with intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination the combination consisting of Poore and Jonathan Vincente and Ricardo Lagunas Rodriguez and an unknown man hereinafter known as FNU LNU, who collaborated in carrying on the hereinafter described criminal activity. The indictment goes on to say the group conspired to commit the unlawful offense of unlawful possession of stolen property and weapons by agreeing with each other that they would engage in conduct that constituted the offense, and Poore, Rodriguez, Vincente and Armando Huerta and FNU LNU, performed an overt act in pursuance of the agreement, namely unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance or dangerous drug while, in possession of stolen property and weapons. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Kody James Newman was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on September 8, 2024, Newman threatened Jimmy Drew Harris with imminent bodily injury by using and exhibiting a deadly weapon, and did and there use or exhibit a deadly weapon namely a Bersa .380 semi-automatic pistol during the commission of the assault. (273rd Judicial District Court)
Christopher Lance Askew was indicted for burglary of a habitation, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on July 2, 2024, Askew with intent to commit theft entered a habitation without the effective consent of Carrie and Robert Simpson, the owner. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Eljamario D. Washington was indicted for unlawful possession firearm by felon, third degree felony. The indictment alleges, on July 19, 2024, Washington recklessly carried a handgun on or about his own person, and Washington was not on his own premises or premises that were under his own control, and the defendant was not inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle or watercraft that was owned by Washington or under his control. The indictment further states, Washington was prohibited from possessing a firearm under section 46.04(a) of the Texas Penal Code, in that at the time of the commission of the charged offense, Washington had previously been convicted of the felony offense of aggravated flight from an officer on December 13, 2018 in Caddo Parish in Louisiana. The possession of the firearm occurred before the fifth anniversary of Washington's release from confinement following conviction of the felony. (123rd Judicial District Court)
Amos Martin Bergeaux was indicted for burglary of a habitation, second degree felony. The indictment alleges, on May 3, 2024, with intent to commit theft Bergeaux entered a habitation without the effective consent of Lucas, Regina, and Lee Brazzel and David Carroll, the owner. (123rd Judicial District Court)
(Dates in parenthesis indicate the date of the alleged incident):
- Brandon Dekee Barnes, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=4G<200G (phencyclidine), second degree felony (May 14, 2024). (273rd Judicial District Court)
- Keneth Grimes, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=1G<4G (methamphetamine), third degree felony (February 8, 2024). (123rd Judicial District Court)
- Adria Simone Polley, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=4G<200G (methamphetamine), second degree felony (June 16, 2024). (123rd Judicial District Court)
- Robert Nathan Stephenson, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=1G<4G (phencyclidine), third degree felony (April 18, 2024). (273rd Judicial District Court)
- David L. Godwin, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B <1G (methamphetamine), state jail felony (November 22, 202). (123rd Judicial District Court)
- Ricardo Lagunas Rodriguez, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=4G<200G (methamphetamine), second degree felony (April 8, 2024). (273rd Judicial District Court)
- Marlena Merissa Poore, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=4G<200G (methamphetamine), second degree felony (April 8, 2024). (273rd Judicial District Court)
- Eric Jerome Jackson, possession of a controlled substance PG1/1-B >=1G<4G (methamphetamine), third degree felony (February 27, 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.
