HCSO: additional charge pending with Texas Rangers
Everett Van Jennings was arrested in Galveston on Saturday, March 30 on multiple Hopkins County felony warrants, marking the third time in three months Jennings has been arrested on local charges, according to sheriff ’s and jail reports.
“Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office first launched an investigation in early January in response to stolen luxury cars located in Hopkins County, Texas,” read a press release issued Sunday, March 30.
Jennings’ first arrest occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 9, when he turned himself in at the Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office on two felony arrest warrants for theft of property over $300,000, a first-degree felony, and placement of a serial number with intent to change identity, a third-degree felony.
The 35-year-old Sulphur Springs man was released on a $150,000 bond Wednesday, Jan. 10.
Jennings was arrested again at the Hopkins County Courthouse on Monday, Feb. 26, on a charge of evading arrest or detention. Hopkins County Sheriff ’s deputies arrived at Jennings’ parents’ home on Thursday, Feb. 15 to serve Jennings with a warrant. Jennings was accused of fleeing the residence through a window while his parents pushed and grabbed at deputies, knocking one officer’s body camera to the floor, deputies alleged in arrest reports at the time of his arrest. Jennings’ parents, Van and Juana Jennings were charged with assaulting a public servant and hindering apprehension or prosecution of a felon, then, released the next day from jail.
Investigators received additional evidence of alleged witness tampering and online impersonation, along with additional stolen property, the press release read. HCSO investigators also reportedly learned that identification numbers on a “volume” of stolen items were posted for sale online via “at least one stolen identity,” that of a former tenant of Jennings who left identification and financial information — credit cards and a driver’s license — in his rented residence when he was arrested. “He was never able to return to the property,” the press release read.
Due to the new evidence discovered at local properties associated with Jennings, investigators, including two confirmed stolen side-by-side UTVs with swapped vehicle identification numbers, along with two trailers with allegedly altered identification number, which were also confirmed to be stolen from around the north Texas area, including Sulphur Springs.
In addition, the press release continued, the company monitoring Jennings’ court-ordered GPS device reported it had received numerous “back plate tamper” alerts. The last known location of the device was the parking lot for a cruise ship terminal in Galveston, Texas. Hopkins County investigators located a vehicle belonging to Jennings parked in Port Authority parking lots used for cruise ship passengers. HCSO presented the new information to the appropriate court, who determined Jennings’ bond was insufficient and issued new arrest warrants. The Texas Rangers also sought and were granted an arrest warrant for witness tampering.
According to the HCSO press release, “Jennings was arrested [Saturday] morning in Galveston, Texas, after returning to the port on a cruise ship. He is currently being held in Galveston County Jail, awaiting transport to Hopkins County. The investigation is ongoing.”