Local News
Hearing set for convicted businessman
Related Photos
-
Curtis Edward Cook
Tools
DA’s Office will argue for the revocation of Cook’s probation
The District Attorney’s Office took the first step to having the probation of a Gun Barrel City businessman revoked.
A status hearing for Curtis Cook was held on Thursday morning before 173rd District Judge Dan Moore.
Henderson County District Attorney Scott McKee is handling the case for the state, and Scott Williams was appointed this week as Cook’s defense attorney.
Judge Moore, after listening to both attorneys, set a hearing for April 16 at 9 a.m.
Cook, 59, was picked up by GBC police on warrant for probation violations on Feb. 6. The warrant was for failure to register as a sex offender after a change of address.
Cook is accused of not reporting a move from Kemp to GBC. Terms of his probation require him to re-register every time he moves from one address to another for the rest of his life.
Cook was placed on probation last year for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Cook, a Gun Barrel City optician, pled guilty to sexually assaulting a child younger than 14 years of age.
He was given deferred adjudication and a 10-year probated sentence at the time.
Cook admitted the sexual assault allegations against him in exchange for the deferred adjudication ruling.
At the April hearing, McKee will introduce evidence to support the allegations made in the state’s motion to adjudicate.
“We will allege the defendant violated certain terms of his probation,” McKee said. “We have to prove one, or more, of those allegations. If the judge adjudicates him, he can then find him guilty. If he does, he’ll be sentenced to a term in the state penitentiary for a length of time to be determined by the judge.”
That prison term, according to law, could be anywhere from five to 99 years.
Williams said the state is alleging in its motion to revoke the deferred adjudication ruling.
“At this juncture I have some questions as to whether the allegations are true, and so our intent is to defend vigorously the allegations that have been made against him,” Williams said.
Cook is just one of several sex offenders who have been confronted by McKee and new county Sheriff Ray Nutt.
Jerry Don Wilson, of Eustace, was arrested on March 9 for failure to register as a sex offender.
Last Thursday, an arrest was made in Eustace for a Bay City man, Michael Keith Luera, for violating probation of a child sexual assault conviction.
Judge Moore revoked Luera’s probation for indecency with a child, and Luera was sentenced to four years in prison.
“This is a new administration, and we are not going to tolerate child predators in our community,” Assistant District Attorney Lenda Burnett said at the time. “I hope this sends a message to offenders that our office is working closely with the probation department to identify and prosecute those who are not complying with their court-ordered conditions.”
- Local News
-
-
Three arrested on drug charges
Henderson County Sheriff Ray Nutt reports four recent arrests by west-end investigators that solved an Athens-area car burglary, and a Malakoff jewelry theft.
-
Hoofbeats pound pavement in the rain
Splash, splash, splash went the hoofbeats as New Hampshire native Bob Skelding’s horse-drawn wagon rolled through Henderson County Monday.
-
Highway 175 proves to be busy chase route
U.S. Highway 175 has been a busy strip of roadway lately with offenders attempting to outrun law officers in vehicle chases.
-
Preparations for March 2 primary elections in full swing
Preparations for the March 2 primary elections are in full swing at the Henderson County Election Center.
-
Cruising the seas
Ewald and Doris Albers take the Athens Daily Review with them on their cruise to Honduras and Mexico, aboard the Voyager of the Seas.
-
Time to get busy pruning
February is here and it is time to get busy, for fruit growers that is, pruning fruit trees in East Texas.
-
SAR honors a good corporate citizen
Athens Chapter Sons of the American Revolution President Charles Luna, right, presents First State Bank, Athens Vice President Michael Neill with the Community Service Award for funding its Eagle Scout Scholarship, the Jeff Austin, Senior Scholarship.
-
ETMC Auxiliary Report
To those of you who have considered joining our auxiliary but haven’t done it yet, I wish you could have been at the Feb. 3 meeting.
-
ETGS to focus on writing
The East Texas Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting on Saturday, February 13, at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Auditorium at the Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler.
-
Financial gifts for your valentine
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so you’d better get going with the flowers and chocolates for your sweetie.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Three arrested on drug charges
