Xavier Lang (courtesy Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)

On Tuesday the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the assistance of Rusk Police Department apprehended and arrested four of the seven individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on February 26.

The remaining three were already incarcerated in the Cherokee County Jail at the time and subsequently served the federal arrest warrant.

The indictment resulted from a lengthy investigation by the FBI, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Jacksonville Police Department. 

The defendants on the federal indictment are: Eric Scott Smart  30,  Steven Ray Davis  42, Michael Wayne Christopher  52, Jimmy Royce Stafford, aka “Jimmy Loven”  28,  Karl Dwayne Underwood  23, Jimmie Chance Guillen, 23, and Darren Michael Massey, 20.

At the time of the federal arrests, three state level search warrants were prepared and presented to District Judge Bascom Bentley.

These search warrants yielded over 100 grams of Methamphetamine, numerous firearms and cash seizures. 

During the arrest and search warrants two additional subjects were arrested on state level charges. Xavier Lang, 22, for unlawful possession of firearm by felon. He was released on a $15,000 bond. 

Also, on Monday the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of FBI, Jacksonville Police Department, Rusk Police Department and Precinct four Constable Jamie Beene served a narcotic search warrant also signed by District Judge Bascom Bentley.

The search warrant was for a residence in the Pierce’s Chapel community of Cherokee County, Texas.  Upon serving the warrant five persons were located inside the residence.

Seized from this location was methamphetamine and various narcotic paraphernalia.  Arrested and charged with possession of substance in penalty group 1 – felony 3 were:  Joshua Heard, 22,  Heath Willis, 19, Rachelle Still, 37, Ariel Coslett-Starkey, 20, and Latajia Crockett, 17.

All subjects were arraigned by Justice of the Peace, Precinct One, Judge Brenda Dominy and bond was set at $15,000 for each one.  All five remain in the Cherokee County Jail at this time.