Latest news with #LufkinPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lufkin honors fallen officers at memorial service ceremony
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) — A memorial service was held in downtown Lufkin on Thursday to honor fallen police officers in Angelina County. LIST: Who are the East Texas officers who have died in line of duty The Lufkin Police Department hosted the Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony at the Angelina County Courthouse to honor officers who have died in the line of duty. The ceremony included a 21-gun salute, a hosting of colors and a final radio call for officers who have fallen. 'Today is just a day to remember the officers who have fallen in the line of duty, who have given their lives to service the community. To me individually, it's just a reminder that although the job becomes 'routine' at times that there are dangers to it.' Deep East Texas Crime Stoppers Executive Director J.B Smith said. Some of the fallen officers honored include: Captain Don H. Willmon from the Angelina County Reserves Officer John E. Logan Junior from the Huntington Police Department Officer Randall Gordon Stallard from the Central ISD Police Department Deputy Byford H. Hunter from the Angelina County Sheriff Department Officer Bryan Daniel Holley from the Hudson ISD Police Department For anyone who wants to find more information about fallen officers in Angelina County or East Texas, they can visit the Officer Down Memorial website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
28-04-2025
- New York Post
Wascally wabbit! Cops hunt for pot lover who hid weed-filled Easter eggs around Texas town — and posted clues online
Texas police are on the hunt for a real bad egg. Cops in Lufkin are 'actively searching' for a man they say filled plastic Easter eggs with small amounts of marijuana and hid them around the city for anybody to find — including a young girl who found one while at a park with her grandfather. 3 Avante Nicholson, 23, is being sought by Lufkin, Texas police after allegedly hiding plastic Easter eggs full of weed around the city. Lufkin Police Department After hiding the eggs, Avante Nicholson, 23, went on social media to post pictures and hints guiding searchers to the location of each — which he stashed in three local parks and behind a Motel 6. Upon receiving a tip from a resident who saw the online posts, officers scoured Nicholson's Facebook page and went on a scavenger hunt of their own — quickly finding the weed-filled eggs at Morris Frank, Winston and Grace Dunn Richardson Parks, as well as the one behind the motel. In total, cops said Nicholson hid about a quarter-ounce of weed in the city two hours north of Houston. One photo he posted showed five eggs on the seat of a vehicle, but officers initially believed he hadn't gotten around to hiding the fifth. However, the elusive fifth egg was found the following day by a man and his granddaughter, who brought it to the police station, cops said. 3 The eggs were hidden around several local parks and behind a Motel 6, cops said. Lufkin Police Department After scanning through his Facebook posts, police found multiple references to selling drugs, as well as a statement that whoever 'shopped' with him the day he hid the eggs would get clues to their locations. 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why take seriously all information called in to our offices,' Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said in a statement. 3 Cops said Nicholson posted photos and clues to help searchers find the illicit eggs. Lufkin Police Department 'On the surface, it seems implausible that someone would give away a drug, but the follow up proves that sometimes even the most unlikely things do happen. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' Nicholson's rap sheet includes several weapons and drug offenses, including unlawful carrying of a weapon, fraud, engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of between two and four ounces of marijuana. Lufkin Police have issued four felony warrants against Nicholson following his illicit weedster egg hunt, three for delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone and a fourth for a state jail felony for delivery of marijuana. Recreational cannabis is illegal in the state of Texas, which also has a more stringent medical marijuana policy than many states which have legalized in recent years.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man Accused of Placing Easter Eggs Filled with Marijuana Around Texas Town and Posting 'Scavenger Hunt' Clues on Social Media
Police are searching for a man who they claim left plastic Easter eggs filled with marijuana in various locations in a Texas town. The Lufkin Police Department (LPD) announced in a press release shared on Facebook on Thursday, April 24, that arrest warrants had been issued for a man named Avante Nicholson after he allegedly placed several plastic eggs in public parks and at a motel. The LPD said they received a tip about the eggs after a town resident saw a post about them on Facebook. "The suspect posted four photos on Facebook showing each location as hints to locate the eggs," the department said. "He also posted a photo of five plastic eggs in the seat of a vehicle. Officers found four eggs and believed he had not placed the fifth." Related: Naked Woman Jumps Out of Moving Car onto Highway to Escape Attempted Kidnapping According to the press release, three of the eggs were found in three different public parks, and one was found behind a Motel 6. "However, the fifth egg was found by a man and his granddaughter at Winston Park the following day and brought to the police station," the LPD added. The eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana, and after police further investigated the social media posts, they identified Nicholson as the alleged owner of the Facebook page. "They also found statements referencing selling narcotics on multiple occasions and in the posts, he stated whoever 'shopped' with him the day of the scavenger hunt would get hints to the locations of the eggs," the LPD said. "Incidents like this are a reminder of why we take seriously all information called in to our offices," Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said in a statement. "On the surface, it seems implausible that someone would give away a drug, but the follow-up proves that sometimes even the most unlikely things do happen." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do," Thomas added. "And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant." The LPD said they have issued four felony warrants for Nicholson. They include three warrants for delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone — which refers to schools, playgrounds and youth centers — and one warrant for delivery of marijuana. According to Texas law, these charges can carry a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and jail time of up to two years. Read the original article on People
Metro
26-04-2025
- Metro
Man wanted for hiding cannabis-filled Easter eggs in parks
Police in the US are searching for a man accused of hiding plastic eggs filled with cannabis in parks as part of an Easter scavenger hunt. Avante Nicholson allegedly placed five drug-laden eggs in various spots across three parks – often used by families – and behind a nearby motel in Lufkin, Texas on Easter Sunday. He then posted a series of photos and clues on Facebook as a hint to their whereabouts. Someone who saw the posts got in touch with police. Officers found four of the eggs, while the fifth was found by a man and his granddaughter, who notified authorities. In total the eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana, police said. They have obtained four warrants for his arrest – three for third-degree felony delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone and one for a state jail felony for delivery of marijuana. Lufkin police chief David Thomas said: 'On the surface, it seems implausible that someone would give away a drug, but the follow-up proves that sometimes even the most unlikely things do happen. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' Nicholson's Facebook includes several references to selling drugs, and in the lead up to the scavenger hunt, he posted that anyone who 'shopped' with him would receive exclusive hints to the locations of the cannabis eggs. Chief Thomas praised the person who reported the Facebook posts, and emphasised how important it was to take all tips seriously, even when they sounded far-fetched. 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why we take seriously all information called in to our offices,' he said. 'It's our job to follow up, and this case shows exactly why that matters.' Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Lufkin Police Department directly. Some people posting on Facebook said voiced their concerns. 'I don't care if people smoke, but I wouldn't want a child picking up those eggs, this was stupid and now he has felonies,' wrote one. Another added: 'Just one more in an increasingly long list of people and institutions taking away the joys of our children. I think it's disgusting that a grown man would find this funny.' More Trending Others found the scavenger hunt amusing. One wrote: 'Looks like quality stuff. Dude had this planned for advertisement purposes. He'll be out and No.1 salesman next week,' quipped one. Another said: 'Man dude was just playing Easter bunny.' The eggs were hidden in Morris Frank Park, Winston Park, Grace Dunn Richardson Park, and also behind a nearby Motel 6. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Controversial Russian satellite involved in nuclear row is 'spinning out of control' MORE: Desperate search for girl, 13, who has now been missing for more than 48 hours MORE: Why does Hawaii love Spam so much?
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Man arrested after planning 'scavenger hunt' with marijuana-filled Easter eggs
A manhunt is underway in Texas for a suspect accused of orchestrating an illegal Easter-themed 'scavenger hunt' that involved hiding plastic eggs packed with marijuana in three public parks. Police in Lufkin, northeast of Houston, say Avante Nicholson even posted a series of photos and clues to Facebook on Easter Sunday tipping off participants as to the whereabout of the drug-laden eggs. The images showed each of the five eggs in various spots throughout Morris Frank Park, Winston Park, Grace Dunn Richardson Park, and also behind a nearby Motel 6. But what may have seemed like a prank or social media stunt quickly turned into a serious criminal investigation. 'On the surface, it seems implausible that someone would give away a drug, but the follow-up proves that sometimes even the most unlikely things do happen,' Lufkin Police Chief David Thomas said. 'The safety of our community is at the forefront of everything we do. And in cases such as this, when it endangers children, we are even more vigilant.' The brazenness of the scheme, combined with its proximity to areas where children play, has stunned local officials and sparked outrage throughout the community. Police say they were first alerted by a concerned resident who spotted the Facebook posts and immediately notified authorities. Nicholson is believed to have posted a series of photos and clues to Facebook on Easter Sunday tipping off participants as to the whereabout of the drug-laden eggs Officers swept the parks and surrounding areas, eventually recovering four of the five eggs Nicholson had allegedly planted. The situation took an even more alarming turn the following day, when a local man and his young granddaughter stumbled upon the missing fifth egg at Winston Park, an area frequented by families and children. He promptly brought it to the local police station. In total, the five eggs contained more than a quarter of an ounce of marijuana, police said. The fallout for Nicholson, if captured, could be severe. Police have obtained four warrants for his arrest - three for third-degree felony delivery of marijuana in a drug-free zone and one for a state jail felony for delivery of marijuana. A deeper dive into Nicholson's Facebook activity further cemented suspicions. His page includes multiple references to selling narcotics, and in the lead-up to the Easter event, he openly suggested that anyone who 'shopped' with him would receive exclusive hints to the locations of the marijuana eggs. Chief Thomas praised the vigilance of the citizen who reported the Facebook posts, emphasizing the importance of taking all tips seriously, no matter how far-fetched they may seem. 'Incidents like this are a reminder of why we take seriously all information called in to our offices,' Thomas said. 'It's our job to follow up, and this case shows exactly why that matters.' The Lufkin Police Department released multiple photos of the recovered eggs as part of their appeal to the public for any information on Nicholson's whereabouts. As of Friday, Nicholson remains at large. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Lufkin Police Department directly. Officers have warned that anyone found aiding or harboring Nicholson could also face charges. On Facebook some aired their concerns. 'I don't care if people smoke, but I wouldn't want a child picking up those eggs, this was stupid and now he has felonies,' wrote one user. 'Just one more in an increasingly long list of people and institutions taking away the joys of our children. I think it's disgusting that a grown man would find this funny,' another added. Others seemed to make light of the situation. 'Looks like quality stuff. Dude had this planned for advertisement purposes. He'll be out and No.1 salesman next week,' quipped one.
