Wade probe goes beyond drugs
By Rick Young
Staff reporter
BEAUMONT - Witnesses called before a federal grand jury investigating Orange County Sheriff James Wade said Thursday that the scope of the investigation has broadened beyond the drug-dealing allegations originally mentioned in connection with the case.
Six witnesses, five Vidorians and one man from Corpus Christi, called by the FBI agents investigating Wade said the government had told them their testimony may provide a link to Sheriff James Wade.
"This all has to do with Stolen equipment," Thomas Smith of Vidor said. "I had a guy ask me if I could sell a bulldozer for him back in November. I looked at it and asked what he wanted for it and he said he had to get $9,000. I figured it was in pretty good shape, so I added $6,000 for me and advertised it for $15,000."
Smith said he had the bulldozer in his yard until January, when he was contacted by Texas Ranger Haskell Taylor, who informed him it was stolen.
The man Smith referred to, identified only as "Junior," was at the federal building Thursday but did not testify after he told an assistant U.S. attorney that he intended to plead the Fifth Amendment, which provides protection against self-incrimination.
Another man, "June Bug" Mansfield, also of Vidor, said he had been contracted to move the bulldozer by the same man Smith had said asked him to sell it. Mansfield Moves heavy equipment under contract for various construction companies.
"The (the FBI) told us this didn't have anything to do with the drug investigation, but it may all connect with their investigation of Wade," Mansfield said.
Smith said he had purchased flatbed trailer from the same "Junior."
"I bought this trailer from 'Junior,' and got a receipt. After I got a summons to come over here and testify, they (FBI) called me and said I should take that trailer and hide it, because if I didn't, it would be stolen last night (Wednesday).
"I don't know what's going on," Smith said. "I support that man (Wade) 100 percent. I always have. I've lived next door to his father-in-law for about 20 years, and I've always supported the sheriff.
"But I ain't gonna lie to these people (grand jury). I don't have any friends that good."
Capt. Thomas Hennigan, the only Orange deputy called to testify Thursday, is in charge of the administrative department at the sheriff's office, which includes statistics and records, including seizures and the disposition of items confiscated. Hennigan took a large amount of paperwork to the grand jury with him, although he declined to say what that paperwork involved.
An FBI agent involved in the Wade investigation would only say Thursday that the drug aspect of the government's case was "the tip of the iceberg."
Other Orange County deputies will testify Feb. 17.
The federal investigation of Wade began in mid-0January and became public Jan. 29 with the of an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Zechariah Shelton in support of a request for a Temporary restraining order, prohibiting Wade from harassing two witnesses against him.
In a Feb. 3 hearing, Wade agreed to an extension of the temporary order, saying he had not and did not intend to harass the witnesses, one of whom is a former Orange County deputy, Donald Duhon.
The second witness, Donnie Flowers, was arrested in October in Hardin County for manufacture of methamphetamines and told authorities that Wade had acted as his partner in the manufacture and sale of the illegal drug.
Flowers' allegations spurred the FBI probe.
Wade has yet to be formally accused of any crime and has been identified only as "the target" of a drug investigation.
Back
