BENNETT

Tyler man charged with kidnapping

A Tyler woman was unarmed after she was reported to have been forced into a van by a man on Houston Street.

When Tyler police went to the 1300 block of East Houston Street to investigate a welfare concern Wednesday afternoon, officers were told two men in a red Dodge van pulled up in front of a home and forced a woman into the van against her will.

Police said witnesses believed one of the suspects was the victim’s boyfriend.

Officers found the van in the 200 block of Herndon Street. The victim and suspect were inside of the vehicle when police arrived.

The victim was not physically harmed during the incident, according to police.

Police identified Damajere Utah Williams, 28, of Tyler inside the van. He was arrested and charged with kidnapping.

Police took Williams to the Smith County Jail shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Williams’ judicial record in Smith County dates back to 2008, and includes aggravated assault charges and family violence charges.

—LouAnna Campbell

2 arrested, stolen property recovered

Austin Hawkins, a 26-year-old Troup man, and one unnamed juvenile were arrested after police recovered several stolen items on the Bonner Wrecking yard property on Highway 110, south of Troup.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said an investigator was told about the possible location of a stolen ATV on May 7.

Two officials went to the Bonner Wrecking yard that night and found two stolen ATVs, a stolen dirt bike, a generator, power tools and a Yeti cooler, clearing various burglary and theft reports in the area.

According to law enforcement, one of the ATVs at the scene was reported stolen from Smith County, and all of the items were released back to their owners.

Officials issued two theft warrants for Hawkins, and the juvenile, whose name will not be released, was also charged with one state jail felony theft.

Hawkins was arrested on Monday for those warrants and his bond was set at $20,000 each charge.

The sheriff’s office is still investigating the case and more charges could be filed.

—KYTX CBS19

Former mayor faces federal indictment

The former mayor of Richardson and a land developer whom she eventually married were indicted on federal conspiracy violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

Laura Jordan, also known as Laura Maczka, 53, and Mark Jordan, 51, both of Plano, were named in a seven-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 10. Maczka and Jordan made initial appearances Wednesday before a U.S. magistrate judge.

According to the indictment, from May 2013 through April 2015, Maczka was the mayor of Richardson and Jordan was a land developer.

The indictment alleges that Maczka and Jordan conspired to devise and execute a scheme to defraud and deprive Richardson residents of the honest services of the mayor through bribery.

A news release from the Eastern District of Texas said Maczka supported and repeatedly voted for controversial zoning changes sought by Jordan. Those zoning changes ultimately allowed the construction of over 1,000 new apartments near Richardson neighborhoods.

The indictment alleges Jordan paid Maczka more than $18,000 in cash and $40,000 by check, paid for over $24,000 in renovations to Maczka’s home, paid for Maczka’s luxury hotel stays and airfare upgrades, and provided Maczka lucrative employment at one of Jordan’s companies.

Maczka and Jordan failed to disclose to the public that they had coordinated to effect the zoning changes Jordan wanted and that Jordan had provided a stream of benefits to Maczka, according to the indictment.

Maczka and Jordan face up to 20 years in federal prison if they are convicted.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

—Staff reports

Traffic stop leads to drug arrest

A man was arrested on West Main Street in Gun Barrel City after police said they found him with suspected methamphetamine and a loaded handgun.

Jesse Mack Bennett Jr., 19, of Seven Points, initially was stopped for a traffic violation by Henderson County deputies.

Deputies found methamphetamine in Bennett’s wallet, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Deputies found a 9mm handgun, ammunition and several items commonly used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics in the vehicle, the news release stated.

Bennett was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, and his vehicle was impounded.

Bennett was taken to the Henderson County Jail, where he was being held on $17,500 in bonds.

—LouAnna Campbell

Meth, cash found, motorcyclist jailed

An unlicensed motorcyclist was arrested in Henderson County with what appeared to be methamphetamine hidden under the gas tank.

Henderson County Deputies stopped a motorcycle rider for a traffic violation on Farm-to-Market Road 3504 near Payne Springs.

Kenneth Mell Myers, 32, of Tool, was identified by deputies. Narcotics investigators decided further investigation was needed and called in a K9 unit from Kaufman County to assist in the investigation.

A search of the motorcycle revealed $3,000 in cash and meth was hidden underneath the motorcycle’s gas tank.

—LouAnna Campbell