Jasper County Sheriff’s Report - 10/7/2025

Last Thursday evening, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office celebrated with 14 cadets who graduated from the Jasper Police Academy. I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech. I’m so proud of determination, dedication and effort these men and women put forth while in the academy.  The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office hired five of the cadets full-time, one as a reserve deputy, and one as a reserve deputy along with being a full-time jailer. The Badge Pinning Ceremony for these men and women took place Friday morning. We had a great turn out and I was proud to administer the “Oath of Office” in front of their friends and families. Afterwards, they started their first day as Jasper County Sheriff’s Deputies!

On September 30^th, 2025, Jasper County deputies responded to an assault in Buna in Cougar Country where an adult female victim stated her boyfriend, Donnie Luckey, 43, of Buna, struck her in the face multiple times.  The victim had visible injuries to her face.  Luckey had already left the residence when deputies arrived.  The following day, CID Lt. Jason McClelland went to the victim’s location to provide her with the Victim’s Rights notification.  Luckey pulled up to the location and was detained due to a Judge actively issuing a warrant for his arrest.  Once the warrant was issued, Luckey was placed under arrest for Family Violence – Assault (Misdemeanor A) and transported to the Jasper County Jail.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, JCSO Investigator Karli Cherry was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Child Abuse and Forensic Services, Inc. of Beaumont (C.A.F.S.).  C.A.F.S. was the first private Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) facility in Texas.  They provide invaluable resources/expertise to law enforcement all across our region to help protect sexual assault/child abuse victims and hold predators accountable. Congratulations to Investigator Cherry on her accomplishment on joining this very important board.

On October 2^nd, 2025, the second person of three was arrested stemming from a 2022 burglary.  Charles Chaneyworth, 62, of Frankston, was taken into custody with the assistance of Texas Pardons and Parole and Athens Police Department.  Two days earlier, JCSO took Donald Parrish, 52, into custody at his residence in Kirbyville.  The 3^rd person involved in the burglary, Jeramia Castleberry, 40, of Jasper, is currently serving a 7-year sentence in TDCJ for Arson and Evading Arrest/Detention with a Vehicle which also occurred in Jasper County.  He will be brought back to Jasper County to answer for the charges once his current sentence is fulfilled. Back on October 25^th, 2022, deputies found the front door of a home kicked in, saw that it was ransacked and copper had been stripped from the central air unit.  Several items were missing from the home as well.  Evidence was collected at the scene and processed for DNA testing. Then in July 2025, Investigator Cherry found that CODIS “hits” had been returned on three possible suspects. Search warrants were obtained and with the assistance of Texas Rangers, DNA on the suspects were sent for comparison which resulted in positive matches for the men.  Each man was issued warrants for Burglary of a Habitation (2^nd Degree Felony) and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity (1^st Degree Felony). The victim, who is now 90 years old, thanked JCSO for their hard work and for not giving up on her case.

On October 2^nd, 2025, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office assisted the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Homeland Security Investigators and Texas Department of Public Safety in the apprehension of Rashaun Mitchell, 29, of Florida.  Mitchell was wanted in Florida on numerous narcotics charges, two escape charges, resisting arrest and assault.  He was located at a residence in the Magnolia Springs area where he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Jasper County Jail.

On October 2^nd, 2025, The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Task Force arrested Marty Duane Hargroder, 66, of Jasper, who was wanted out of Orange County for Resisting Arrest and also out of Texas Department of Pardons and Parole for a Parole Violation.  Hargroder was located and taken into custody and transported to the Jasper County Jail.

On October 5^th, 2025, a Jasper County Patrol Sergeant was notified of a suspect in our lobby stating he had been involved in a shooting at his residence on FM 252 and that an individual was deceased at the scene.  Sergeant Cody Christopher made contact with the man making the claims and had a JPD officer stand by with the man at the office while he responded to the scene.  Once he arrived at the scene, Sergeant Christopher found that there had been over 25 rounds fired inside of the home.  There were no signs of anyone being injured.  Our Patrol and CID Investigators, along with a JPD officer, conducted a heavy search of the residence and property and concluded that no one had been shot.  CID investigators took custody of all the firearms at the residence for safekeeping.  Sergeant Christopher returned to the office, transported the man to Jasper Memorial Hospital where an “Emergency Detention Order” was secured so that a mental health evaluation could be conducted. 

On October 6^th, 2025, JCSO Deputy Harrell was notified by Kirbyville Adult Probation that Samual McGallion, 44, of Kirbyville, was in the office and had warrants for his arrest.  McGallion was taken into custody at the Kirbyville Sub Courthouse without incident for 2 Motion to Revoke Probation warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance – PG 1/1-B<1g x2 out of Jasper County. He was transported to the Jasper County Jail.

This weekend, I, along with Jasper County Sheriff’s staff members, were out and about at local events.  I attended the 48^th Annual Butterfly Fall Festival at Sandy Creek Park in Jasper.  There was a great turnout.  I then went to the Jasper United Methodist Church and got some books that were donated by them to our jail.  Not only will these books help our inmates pass the time, hopefully, they can read something educational and learn.  Reading programs in correctional institutions have shown reduced recidivism rates and reoffending.  I also attended the Jasper County Historical Museum Preservation Celebration with Judge Mark Allen, Chief Larry Pulliam and Sergeant Cody Christopher at Pine Hall located in north Jasper County.  Attendance was great.  The venue was awesome.  I would encourage every citizen in our county to support the Jasper County Historical Museum. Preserving Jasper County’s history is very important.  I’d like to give a big shout out to the Seale Brothers and Pine Hall for showing us so much hospitality.  This property is absolutely gorgeous and is a registered Texas Historic landmark.

Loving Hearts Animal Society needs our help. The Kahla Memorial Humane Society Services Clinic is a volunteer staffed, nonprofit facility located at 7492 US Highway 190 in Jasper, Texas.  This facility provides low, or no cost spay and neutering services to the public on a sliding income scale basis that enables pet owners to act and prevent unwanted pet pregnancies and decrease the number of homeless animals entering the shelter system.  Jasper County is grateful for the generosity of the Kahla family for the use of the late Dr. John Kahla’s clinic.  We need help from the public to get a handle on all the stray animals in our county.  This is a great initiative and will contribute significantly to hopefully end this problem.  Please support it!  Contact Josie Weintrob at the following email if you would like to contribute:  JWeintrob@loving-hearts.net.

I can’t thank the people of Jasper County enough for placing their faith and confidence in me and electing me. It is truly an honor and privilege to be the Sheriff of Jasper County. 

Respectfully,

Chuck Havard

Jasper County Sheriff