Press release
Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse’s Narcotics Investigators raided a Mabank home after midnight Monday and arrested three methamphetamine dealers.
Earlier in the day, they chased a wanted, armed felon across four East Texas Counties at high rates of speed, eventually capturing him after a foot pursuit.
“Our team here busted up a drug ring, and – working with other law enforcement officers – also got a wanted felon off the streets,” Hillhouse said.
At around 12:30 a.m., Investigators Kenneth Slaton and Wayne Nutt arrested a total of four people at a home in the 200 block of Lake Arrowhead in the Payne Springs area.
Mikel Christopher Kirkpatrick, 47, and Debbie Sue Beasley, 48, both of Mabank, were charged with manufacture or delivery of a substantial amount of meth and tampering with evidence.
Matthew Kristopher Walker, 37 of Trinidad was also charged with dealing meth and tampering with evidence, and he was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant for Criminal Mischief.
Edmund Shane Cranfill, 37, of Eustace was placed into custody for possession of a controlled substance during the execution of the search warrant which was signed by 392nd District Judge Scott McKee.
Hillhouse’s Investigators took an entire team on the raid – Lieutenant Kyle Pochobradsky, Investigators Gabriel Shue and Cynthia Clements, Deputies David Roberston, Jason Ramsey, and Ashley Radar.
Earlier that same day, Nutt and Slaton attempted to stop a wanted felon driving in Seven Points.
Thirty-year-old Daniel Ray Hayden III, of Athens initially headed their warning and pulled over.
But he accelerated his vehicle at a high rate of speed when told to step out.
Hayden drove through four Counties before Kaufman County Deputies were able to deploy a spike strip across a road, bringing the vehicle to a halt.
Wanted on felony warrants out of that County, he then fled on foot.
Deputies chased him down, and a subsequent search of his vehicle yielded a firearm, methamphetamines and items believed to be stolen.
At the scene he was charged with evading arrest in a motor vehicle, evading arrest with previous convictions, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Once he arrived at the Henderson County Jail, he was booked in for a warrant from Kaufman County for burglary of a Building and a warrant from Van Zandt County for theft less than $20,000.
Sheriff Hillhouse would like to say “Thank you to Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and all other law enforcement agencies that helped out during this pursuit. This proves when everyone works together we can get things done.”
