Henderson County Sheriff’s Office searches for Kemp woman

Lesley Henderson
Lesley Henderson

Sheriff’s Office press release

Following a drug bust, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse warned people Thursday to be on the lookout for and immediately report a fugitive.

Hillhouse has alerted all his deputies and is seeking the public’s help in the search for Lesley Henderson, 24, of Kemp. Henderson is known to frequent the Seven Points and Tool area of Henderson County.

“Two suspects in this burglary of a home are in jail, but one is at-large. Anyone who knows where she is please pick up the phone and turn this fugitive from justice in,” Hillhouse said.

Hillhouse urged anyone with information on Henderson’s whereabouts to call the Sheriff’s Office at 903-675-5128 or Crime Stoppers at 903-675-TIPS.

On May 24, Sheriff Investigator Josh Rickman learned that an iPad was stolen from a home along with several other items the Sheriff said.

About three weeks later, on June 8, Rickman’s investigation discovered that Billie Turnage, 34, Corey Hodges, 26, and Henderson were involved in the burglary south of Athens.

Justice of the Peace Randy Daniels issued arrests warrants. Turnage and Hodges were already in jail on separate charges and Judge Daniels set bonds for both at $25,000 for the burglary.

“Billie Turnage was in jail because she was caught up in our series of recent drug arrests,” Hillhouse said. “Her arrest and further investigation helped crack the burglary case. This campaign against illegal drugs is helping us arrest criminals wanted for different crimes and making our County a safer place to live.”

Fifteen people have been arrested in the past two weeks, since Hillhouse began the Office’s crack-down on illegal drugs.
Henderson faces a Second Degree Felony, up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty.