Kelly Joe Vickers (Smith County)

An investigation into a stolen all-terrain vehicle led to the arrest of three people Wednesday on unrelated charges, including drug and weapons violations.

A man who flagged down a Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputy on Tuesday said that he returned home from work to find a 2003 Kawasaki 360 Prairie ATV had been taken without his permission. 

He said his aunt, who also lives on the property, had given Jimmy Roy Butler permission to remove some scrap metal, old refrigerators and a burnt car from the property. The aunt stated that she had seen Butler loading the ATV onto a trailer and told him that he could not take the ATV as it wasn’t hers, according to the sheriff’s report.

The ATV’s owner went on to say that he knew where he believed the ATV to be located and was concerned that it had possibly been painted.

A sheriff’s detective obtained a search warrant signed by 241 st District Court Judge Jack Skeen authorizing the search of the property in the 1100 block of CR 317, where the stolen property was believed to be located.

During the search warrant, the stolen ATV was recovered as were numerous narcotics and firearms.

A 6-month-old child also was located at the residence during the execution of the search warrant. Child Protective Services was contacted in reference to the welfare of the child and the environment that the child was living in. CPS authorized law enforcement to release the child to her maternal grandfather.

Three arrests were made during the execution of the search warrant: Kristin Nicole Gannaway on a charge of possession of a dangerous drug; Tina Louse Vickers on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of marijuana; and Kelly Joe Vickers on a parole violation warrant.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Jimmy Roy Butler is asked to call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566- 6600.