Henderson County District Attorney

Henderson County District Attorney This page is an effort to keep the citizens of Henderson County informed.

The Twelfth Court of Appeals has upheld the murder conviction and life sentence of Chaz Taelor White, who was convicted ...
09/01/2026

The Twelfth Court of Appeals has upheld the murder conviction and life sentence of Chaz Taelor White, who was convicted by a Henderson County jury last October in the 2023 killing of Alexis Garoutte.

White appealed his conviction, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to prove he had the intent required for a murder conviction.

The Court of Appeals rejected that argument, concluding that the jury was justified in finding beyond a reasonable doubt that White intentionally and knowingly killed Garoutte. The court found the evidence sufficient to support the jury’s guilty verdict.

White, 35, was convicted following a week-long trial in 392nd District Court. Judge Scott McKee sentenced him to life in prison Oct. 27.

The case stemmed from the April 21, 2023, shooting of Garoutte on Sailfish Drive in Mabank. Henderson County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Garoutte in the passenger seat of a Dodge Ram and attempted lifesaving measures, but she died at the scene.

During the trial, White admitted that he fired a Saiga AK-47 toward the truck. Prosecutors presented evidence that White believed he was shooting at another person at the scene, gave the firearm to his wife to dispose of after the shooting and later told a friend he thought he had “caught a murder charge.”

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Bargmann and First Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cox prosecuted the trial. Bargmann, Cox and Assistant District Attorney Beth Neu were involved in defending the conviction on appeal.

The Henderson County District Attorney's Office released August stats.
09/01/2026

The Henderson County District Attorney's Office released August stats.

Seale sentenced to 15 years for felony DWIJoshua Lee Seale was convicted last week of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or M...
08/31/2026

Seale sentenced to 15 years for felony DWI

Joshua Lee Seale was convicted last week of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or More in Judge Mark Calhoon's court and sentenced to 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Assistant District Attorney Jeff Herrington represented the State.

Seale's punishment was enhanced because of his criminal history, which included two prior DWI convictions. His record also includes a prison sentence for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Assault on a Public Servant, along with multiple convictions for theft, Possession of a Controlled Substance and other offenses.

On Feb. 3, 2025, Gun Barrel City Police Officer Greg Ceraso stopped Seale for running a red light on West Main Street at about 10:09 p.m.

Ceraso smelled a strong odor of burnt ma*****na coming from the vehicle and observed that Seale had bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech. Seale admitted to drinking five beers. Ceraso also observed a whiskey bottle, a box of Twisted Tea and a vodka bottle inside the vehicle.

Seale was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. Officers also found ma*****na in his front pocket.

“Driving while intoxicated puts everyone on the road at risk, and repeat offenses make that danger even more concerning,” District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. “When someone continues to drive impaired despite previous convictions, there have to be serious consequences. This sentence protects the public and sends a clear message that repeated drunk driving will not be treated lightly.”

I always enjoy the opportunity to visit with students across Henderson County.Thank you to Brownsboro Junior High for in...
08/28/2026

I always enjoy the opportunity to visit with students across Henderson County.

Thank you to Brownsboro Junior High for inviting us to talk to your students about va**ng, inappropriate texting, and some of the real consequences that can come from those choices.

I appreciate the students for being part of the conversation. Hopefully, they walked away with some information that will help them make good decisions when those situations come up.

Jay William Layne was convicted last week of felony driving while intoxicated, third or more, and sentenced to 30 years ...
08/27/2026

Jay William Layne was convicted last week of felony driving while intoxicated, third or more, and sentenced to 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Judge Mark Calhoon presided over the case in the 3rd District Court. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Herrington represented the State.

Layne's punishment was enhanced because of his criminal history, which includes five prior DWI convictions. Two resulted in prison sentences. He received a five-year sentence in 2011 in Smith County and a 12-year sentence in 2018 in Van Zandt County. Layne was on parole at the time of the latest offense.

On April 27, Chandler Police Officer Christopher Callaway responded to a 911 report of a reckless driver traveling east on State Highway 31 toward Tyler. Callaway located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.

Callaway observed that Layne had heavily slurred speech and saw an open bottle of vodka in the passenger seat.

Callaway requested assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Travis Murdoch. Murdoch attempted to conduct field sobriety tests but stopped because of Layne's level of intoxication.

Laboratory testing later showed Layne had a blood alcohol level of .286.

“We are thankful for the person who recognized the danger and called 911,” District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. “That call gave law enforcement the opportunity to get an extremely intoxicated driver off the road before someone was seriously hurt or killed. We also appreciate the quick response of Officer Callaway and Trooper Murdoch. This is exactly why we ask people to report suspected impaired drivers.”

Kenneth Aaron Barina was sentenced last week by 3rd District Court Judge M. Calhoon to 20 years in the Texas Department ...
08/27/2026

Kenneth Aaron Barina was sentenced last week by 3rd District Court Judge M. Calhoon to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Tampering with Physical Evidence and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

The sentence was handed down after a contested hearing. The State was represented by Assistant District Attorney Jeff Herrington.

Barina's punishment was enhanced due to his lengthy criminal history. He was sentenced to 10 years in TDCJ in 2015 for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver with a Deadly Weapon, eight years in TDCJ in 2013 for Possession of Controlled Substance, two years in TDCJ in 2004 for Burglary of a Habitation in Dallas County, six years for Burglary of a Habitation received in 2004 in Henderson County, and nine month's state jail for Evading with a Motor Vehicle in Dallas County. Barina also had charges for Criminal Mischief, Assault, and other misdemeanor charges.

A Henderson County jury found Vanoid Dawson Jr. guilty on multiple felony narcotics charges, resulting in a 25-year pris...
08/22/2026

A Henderson County jury found Vanoid Dawson Jr. guilty on multiple felony narcotics charges, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The conviction followed a weeklong trial stemming from a 2024 narcotics investigation that uncovered hundreds of fentanyl pills hidden in a child’s playroom.

The jury found Dawson guilty of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, possession with intent to deliver co***ne, possession with intent to deliver 4-Anilino-N-Phenethylpiperidine, or 4-ANPP, a chemical forerunner to fentanyl, and delivery of co***ne in a drug-free zone.

The investigation began July 23, 2024, when Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Jonathan Daille conducted surveillance on a Malakoff residence following tips about illegal drug sales. Daille observed a truck leave the residence after a brief visit, indicating a suspected narcotics transaction. A subsequent traffic stop revealed the driver had just purchased crack co***ne from Dawson.

Based on that information, Daille secured search and arrest warrants. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Team executed the warrants and arrested Dawson in the front yard of the residence.

A search of the home uncovered a large cache of narcotics stashed in the corner of a child’s playroom among Dawson’s clothing and personal mail. Law enforcement seized 650 fentanyl pills, 835 4-ANPP pills, more than 8 grams of co***ne, digital scales, packaging baggies and other distribution paraphernalia. Investigators also found nearly $4,000 in cash in the center console of Dawson’s truck parked in the driveway.

Following the trial’s punishment phase, the jury sentenced Dawson to 25 years for possession of fentanyl, 25 years for possession of co***ne, 10 years for delivery of co***ne and two years for possession of 4-ANPP. The sentences will run concurrently.

Assistant District Attorneys Aaron Lilly and Jeff Herrington prosecuted the case in the 3rd Judicial District Court before Judge Mark Calhoon.

“The Henderson County District Attorney’s Office extends its sincere thanks to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office narcotics officers for their rigorous investigation and hard work on this case,” District Attorney Jenny Palmer said.

District Attorney Jenny H. Palmer reports that the Henderson County Grand Jury for the August session of the July, 2026 ...
08/21/2026

District Attorney Jenny H. Palmer reports that the Henderson County Grand Jury for the August session of the July, 2026 term returned the following indictments. In addition, 30 cases are indicted under seal.

Kevin Eugene Jones, 66, of Athens was sentenced to 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on each of five ...
08/19/2026

Kevin Eugene Jones, 66, of Athens was sentenced to 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on each of five counts of possession of child po*******hy last week by 392nd District Court Judge R. Scott McKee.

This was the maximum sentence Judge McKee could impose on Jones.

Assistant District Attorney Christian Simpson represented the State in the contested punishment hearing.

Jones pleaded guilty in July and requested that the court assess his punishment.

During sentencing, the Court heard that the investigation began June 13, 2024, when the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that a device in Henderson County was viewing child po*******hy.

Task Force Investigator Meagan Hogan obtained warrants during the investigation and determined the images were on a device at Jones’ home in Henderson County.

During the ex*****on of a search warrant at the home, Hogan found a device containing numerous photographs of child po*******hy that Jones had obtained through the internet.

Jones will also be required to register as a s*x offender if he is ever released from prison.

Jerroid Dustin Miller was sentenced last week to 25 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for possession of ...
08/17/2026

Jerroid Dustin Miller was sentenced last week to 25 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for possession of a controlled substance. Miller was sentenced by 3rd District Court Judge Mark Calhoon. His punishment was enhanced because of his prior criminal history. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Herrington represented the State.

On Dec. 29, 2025, Henderson County Sheriff's Office K9 Deputy Edwin Rodriguez conducted a traffic stop on East Tyler Street in Athens. Investigators J. Daille and J. Barrios responded to the stop. Daille spoke with Miller, who was a passenger in the vehicle and admitted he was on probation.

During the traffic stop, Miller was observed hiding an object in the vehicle. Investigators discovered the item contained a clear Ziploc baggie, a digital scale, a used syringe and 21.76 grams of methamphetamine.

Miller had previously been sentenced to 12 years in prison for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance in 2015. He also had a previous prison sentence for burglary of a habitation in 2011.

Miller had two previous probation sentences revoked for committing new offenses and continued narcotics use. One of those revocations was for assault family violence in 2014.

Address

109 W. Corsicana Street #103
Athens, TX
75751

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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+19036756100

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