TYLER COUNTY – Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford reported that his agency has been busy lately with several arrests that have resulted in felony drug charges.
Weatherford said that on Monday, August 3, deputies with the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office stopped a couple of men in a pickup truck in the Fred area, while out on patrol that night.
The driver was Rocky Joe Laduque, a 47-year-old Woodville man, and his passenger was Rusty Wayne Mathis, age 42, of Silsbee.
Laduque told the deputies who stopped him that there was marijuana inside of the vehicle, and a subsequent search turned up a small amount of marijuana, but also a small baggie containing a white and powdery substance, which field-tested positive for cocaine, which Laduque admitted belonged to him.
Mathis told the deputies that he had active parole warrants out for his arrest.
Public records show previous convictions for Mathis for methamphetamine possession. He was transported to the Tyler County Jail, and charged with two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm; felony possession of controlled substance and felony tampering with evidence.
Laduque was also taken into custody, and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance for the cocaine. Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Tina Self set Laduque’s bond at $20,000.
Mathis is awaiting a transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Due to overflow, he is currently housed in the Angelina County Jail.
Weatherford reported another stop, three days later, which resulted in another pair of arrests in the Warren area.
On the morning of Thursday, August 6, TCSO deputies stopped a Dodge SUV for a traffic violation on US 69 South at County Road 4755.
The driver, Jerrald Moreland, a 41-year-old Beaumont man and 37-year-old Cornius Kirkland, occupied the vehicle, and while speaking with the two men, deputies could smell marijuana from the vehicle.
A search turned up a small amount of marijuana, as well as three baggies containing a crystalline substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Both Moreland and Kirkland were transported to the Tyler County Jail, and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. Judge Self set both of their bonds at $20,000.
