Press release
On Monday, February 9, Harold Eugene Merchant AKA “Spider” pled guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The 53-year-old also plead true to two enhancement paragraphs which enhanced the charges to a second degree felony.
Assistant District Attorney Justin Weiner prosecuted the case on behalf of Scott McKee’s District Attorney’s Office. Merchant was sentenced in the 173rd Judicial District Court with Judge Dan Moore presiding.
Merchant was indicted by a Henderson County Grand Jury last year after a June 3, 2014, investigation by Sheriff Nutt’s Narcotics Investigator Kay Langford. Langford obtained a narcotics search warrant for Merchant after she received credible and reliable information that Merchant was staying in a residence at the Luther Lane Trailer Park in Gun Barrel City. Investigators had previously executed another narcotics search warrant on the same residence when it was occupied by Roy Chancellor, Jr., back on October 2, 2013.
Investigators John Long, Wick Gabbard, Kendall Wellman, Deputy Kyle Pochobradsky, Deputy Mitch Baker, and Lt. Charlie Sevren assisted Investigator Langford in the execution of the search warrant along with Officers from the Gun Barrel City Police Department and other Deputies from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Harold Merchant, Bryan Blackwell and Tommy Russell were all located inside the residence at the time that the officers arrived. Merchant attempted to hide in a room in the residence but was ultimately apprehended. Investigator Wellman located a leather eye glass case in Merchant’s left front pocket. Inside the case was what is commonly referred to as a “scrap baggie” which contained a trace amount methamphetamine. Merchant also had an outstanding warrant issued by the Pardon and Parole Board in Austin for violating his parole terms and conditions in a Kaufman County case.
While searching the remainder of the residence, officers found several other baggies of suspected methamphetamine, clear baggies used to package narcotics, and a metal pipe which is commonly used for the ingestion of narcotics.
After the plea, Assistant District Attorney Weiner said, “Harold Merchant was not only actively participating in the illegal narcotics trafficking in Henderson County, but he was also doing such as a wanted fugitive. I am grateful for the dedication and vigorous efforts of Sheriff Ray Nutt’s Narcotics Task Force.”
District Attorney Scott McKee indicated that he and Sheriff Nutt have not let up on their relentless pursuit and prosecution of those that manufacturer and deliver meth. “For every day these criminals are behind bars, our community and children are just a little safer from the dangers of drug use and the criminal activities that surround the use of methamphetamine,” said McKee.
Thank you. 1 more off the streets.