Crockett Couple Rings in New Year with Arrest

Disturbance Leads to Drug Bust

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – A Crockett couple was arrested on New Year’s Eve after a disturbance led police to the discovery of narcotics residue at their residence.

Monica Nicole Barnes, 28, and William Troy Stewart, 22, were booked into custody on charges of possession of narcotics paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, penalty group one after Barnes called in a complaint to the Crockett Police Department.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Crockett PD officers were dispatched to a residence located at 412 Anson Jones when Barnes called the police department and stated Stewart “… would not leave the residence and that he was also throwing water inside of the residence.”

CPD Officer Jeffery Dean was the first to arrive at the location and encountered Stewart who was “… standing next to a tan in color Ford F-150. The passenger side doors of said vehicle appeared to be open at this time and I was unclear if any weapons were involved during the disturbance. For safety purposes, I told Stewart to lay on the ground and I placed him in hand restraints shortly after my arrival.”

Officer Shane Sandifer and Sgt. Alfredo Fajardo arrived at the scene shortly after Stewart had b

een restrained and stayed with him while Dean went to question Barnes about the current situation.

The probable cause statement indicated Dean had previous knowledge of the couple using methamphetamines and further reported Dean had also assisted other CPD officers after they had been dispatched to the Anson Jones address.

The affidavit reported Dean and Sandifer entered the residence after Barnes waved them in.

“Barnes was wearing what appeared to be a t-shirt and was holding what appeared to be a pair of sweat pants in her hand. As Officer Sandifer and I were walking into the residence, Barnes stated, ‘I wanted to put clothes on, but I wanted y’all to see the water that was all over me, that he threw all over the counter,” the affidavit stated.

As the officers walked further into the residence, they observed what appeared to be burned marijuana on a counter top.

While attempting to explain the events leading up to the disturbance, Barnes “… began to speak with an uninvolved third party on her cell phone. While Barnes was speaking on her cell phone, she walked to the back of the residence sat at the foot of her bed and proceeded to continue her cell phone conversation,” the report stated.

When Branes went to the back of the single-wide mobile home, Dean followed and while she was talking on the phone, he observed a marijuana grinder sitting on a bedroom end table, the affidavit reported.

Dean went back outside to speak with Stewart who confirmed he had been living at the Anson Jones address “… off and on for a month.”

After a search of Stewart’s truck did not uncover any illegal items, Dean and Sgt. Fajardo “… obtained verbal consent from Barnes to search the residence for any illegal narcotic items,” the affidavit stated.

The search began in the bedroom where Dean observed the marijuana grinder. The search yielded a drinking straw with methamphetamine residue inside along with a baggie containing additional meth residue.

Stewart was brought inside the residence for questioning and admitted to using meth approximately one week ago, however Barnes contradicted her boyfriend.

“Barnes stated, without being questioned by law enforcement or being placed into hand restraints at this time, that both she and Stewart had used methamphetamine inside of this residence three days ago,” the affidavit indicated.

Both Stewart and Barnes were taken into custody, transported to Houston County Jail and booked on charges of possession of narcotics paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, penalty group one.

The possession of a controlled substance charge was enhanced from a state jail felony to a third-degree felony because of the proximity of Davy Crockett Memorial Park, which sits approximately 800 feet away from the Anson Jones residence.

According to Section 12.34 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

After posting individual bonds of $8,352, both Barnes and Stewart were released pending further legal proceedings.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].