NCSO News

On Thursday, September 24, 2015, at approximately 12pm, deputies stopped a white Chrysler sedan for a minor traffic infraction that lead to seizure of several bags of suspected methamphetamine and the arrest of a Fort Worth man.

Deputies stopped the vehicle in the parking lot of El Papagayo restaurant, in Sweetwater for a minor traffic infraction. Contact was made with the driver who was accompanied by passenger Lee Mathis, of Fort Worth. Both men were requested to exit the vehicle where a roadside investigation could be conducted.

During the investigation, deputies noticed indications of criminal activity; thereafter consent to search the vehicle was requested and received. Just before the search could be conducted, Mathis attempted to flee but was immediately stopped, and after a brief struggle with deputies, he was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle was then conducted which lead to the discovery of several bags of suspected methamphetamine, concealed in a cigarette box.

Mathis was transported to the Nolan County jail where he was charged with the felony offense of manufacture/delivery of methamphetamine. The case will be filed with the 32nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

On Monday, September 21, 2015, at approximately 8pm, a Nolan County deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a red Pontiac Firebird, driven by Robert Rodriguez, a wanted felon. The deputy spotted Rodriguez in the 100 block of West Ave B; thereafter he began to flee in the vehicle, turning the stop into an active pursuit. After pursuing Rodriguez through several Sweetwater neighborhoods, he came to a stop in the 700 block of Pease Street where he surrendered peacefully. Rodriguez was placed under arrest and transported to the Nolan County jail where he was charged with an additional felony offense of evading arrest in vehicle. The case will be filed with the 32nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

The Nolan County Sheriff’s Office has received a report of attempted telephone fraud involving a caller claiming to be a Sheriff’s Deputy. It was reported that the impersonator had spoofed the number to make the call appear to be from this law enforcement agency and asked the victim for a cash payoff to avoid arrest for a missed court date.

The Sheriff’s Office does not solicit the payment of fines or fees on behalf of the court. Nolan County Sheriff David Warren wants for citizens to be aware that the person(s) involved in these scams can be very convincing, and is urging anyone who is contacted to treat any unsolicited caller who requests payment or access to personally identifiable information with extreme skepticism, regardless of who the caller claims to represent. When in doubt simply hang up, or get the caller’s name, hang up, and then call the business or government entity back at a phone number you know to be correct.