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Ex Grimes Deputy Out on Bond Save Email Print
Posted: 4:51 PM May 15, 2008
 Last Updated: 6:39 PM May 15, 2008
 Reporter: Crystal Galny
Email Address: galny@kbtx.com
21 comments
A | A | A

A Grimes County sheriff's deputy is out of jail after being arrested on burglary charges.

Joseph Porter, 51, was released Wednesday on a $5,000 bond after being arrested by Navasota police.

Porter is accused of stealing about $6,000 from Frank's Towing and Repair.

Authorities say he was caught on surveillance camera, which was set up after money went missing from the store's safe.

Porter was fired by the Grimes County Sheriff's Office.
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Posted by: Anonymous Location: Navasota on May 21, 2008 at 10:57 AM
If you do not anything about what happened, do not say a word and let everyone do their job and get the problem fixed!
Posted by: Anonononymus Location: around on May 19, 2008 at 03:03 PM
I love lamp.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 19, 2008 at 02:10 PM
Is Sowell that bad of a Sheriff? You would think he likes to have his Officers arrested all the time after reading the comments. Does it help get him votes? is it needed to help fight Grimes County corruption? Only in Hooterville Grimes county would one think The Sheriff would like to have bad press at election time. The Sheriff must be a Genius and the people of Grimes county GED Rocket scientist to fall for this get out the vote strategy.
Posted by: Ron on May 19, 2008 at 11:48 AM
"My goodness! Will someone please either edit or teach those that leave comments proper spelling and grammar?" -Amen Reading this crap gave me a headache.
Posted by: Elmer Williams Location: College Station on May 19, 2008 at 11:25 AM
I am about as pro-law enforcement as a person can possibly be. However, I must admit that this is not the first time we have seen undesirables working for Grimes County. We don't see this in other counties in the area. There has to be a reason for this. I would speculate this all goes back to the hiring practices in Grimes County. Perhaps proper background checks are not being conducted. If they are, then the results are possibly being ignored. To the countless other law enforcement officers that are good, honest people, thank you for the difficult, dangerous job you do.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 18, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Corruption is so bad in Grimes county,It could be a set-up.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Grimes County on May 18, 2008 at 09:47 PM
The funny thing is that almost all the officers that you are talking about who have been investigated by "outside agencies" have been cleared of all allogations brought against them that "Sheriff Don Sowell" was so quick to judge. Information is open records go look for yourself
Posted by: Anonymous on May 17, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Federal Law Enforcement Investigation in 80,S. Planes of drugs fly into the County. Special Prosecutors in the 90,s for the Sheriff. Sheriff removed from Office. 2000,s Jailers, Chief Deputy,and Investigates arrested. Business looked about normal for Grimes County. We also had a County auditer,2 County commissioners arrested for illegal use of tax money in the 90,S. The new Jail and Sheriff's Office how much money is missing was it $500,0000 or about 1-million? Person arrested hired by the County. The DA of Grimes County also arrested. By the State Police for DWI. in the 90,S. Madd got all over this one. I say this is nothing new for the County. The only thing that changed is that the SO has had more arrest then the County Court House in the past 10yrs. Low COUNTY pay and corruption to back it UP.
Posted by: anonymous Location: Grimes County on May 17, 2008 at 02:14 AM
Well, your information is obviously flawed about history. Find the facts and you will see that most of the details you are trying to point out are mistaken. Your Sheriff has been known to blow things out of proportion so you will think he is on top of things. Many of the allegations so far have been unfounded, but I don't know about this case. I'm close to the source up there in Anderson, and can tell you that things aren't always what they seem. But one thing is for sure... somebody always seems to get his face on TV and give you something to talk about. We have a good system and it works. You have to know that most of those deputies are great people working for very little money and they are doing a lot of work for that little money. It is an embarrassment for sure right now. My husband and I are just waiting to see what happens next.
Posted by: None on May 16, 2008 at 07:15 PM
My goodness! Will someone please either edit or teach those that leave comments proper spelling and grammar?! As far as the theft, Frank Vacante works very hard for his money and should be applauded for turning the deputy in. How sad for his family.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 16, 2008 at 06:44 PM
The Sheriff looked at the tape and fired him it say a lot. If there one person you can trust it the Sheriff Of Grimes County. He can only do So much with the Low Pay and benefits the County gives. Grimes SO is paid less then other Department in the area. Even The Sheriff is paid less the starting Police in depts only 1 to 2hrs away. The only thing that kept the dept going in the past was retired Officers from large dept like Houston PD, and Texas DPS. pay was not a issue do to retirement. Police Dept. have had a shortage of officers for years now do to pay. Good Cops are in demand. Now Good Officers can pick and choose the depts and move on. Grimes County has had alot of fine officers move on to good paying jobs with other Depts.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Anderson on May 16, 2008 at 10:40 AM
How many more Officer are going to be arrested at Grimes So. Kbtx covered The Chief deputy the Jailers and the arrest in Austin by the state of Texas of the Detectives. How many did Kbtx not cover? Now a Deputy that was at one time a Investigator. WOW will it stop. This can become a legal mass for the County since the word of a Police Officer is given the highest credibility in court. And the officers keep getting arrested on felonies. I hope the Lawyers have not kept a eye on this. We may have a wave of writs coming into the legal system. Next Inmates coming out of TDC. I KNOW IF I WAS A LAWERYER I WOULD HAVE THE PEN OUT. This could end up with arrested defendants going free do to lake of creditable witness from a tainted Police department Image. This is starting to look like the mass At HPD- Crime Lab and Inmates are coming out of TBC.
Posted by: anonymous Location: anonymous on May 16, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Maybe the Texas Attorney General needs to talk to the wright people.What punishment(s) does the DA ask for When or if charges are filed. Let us not forget if charges are not filed no punishment can take place.
Posted by: ANONYMOUS on May 16, 2008 at 08:52 AM
good people do make bad choices remember he has a family and they are innocent. it was a mistake and i am sure he has learned his lesson to his family may God give you the strength to get through this time.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 16, 2008 at 08:37 AM
I do remember several being arrested within the dept. over the past few years but I'm sure there are also some good ones in there who really care. I just wish the good ones would come to my neck of the woods and actually arrest some of these criminals instead of some of the others who come out here and feel sorry for the offenders because they probably have known them or their families since they were little. When a drunk driver hits your car (which is parked in front of your home, by the way) and the driver is not arrested or when a meth lab is busted at a residence and noone is sitting in prison or someone strung out on drugs terrorizes the neighborhood and he is not arrested either, something is wrong. I'm sorry. Some of you will take offense to this, but it's all true.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Navasota on May 16, 2008 at 08:01 AM
How about this... Authorities say he was caught on surveillance camera, which was set up after money was noticed missing from the store's safe. "money went missing" sounds a little hick to me.
Posted by: Paul Location: Navasota on May 16, 2008 at 06:29 AM
To Anonymous poster at 7:08 PM. What did all that gibberish mean??? I happen to know my own family well enough to know that the man that raised three law abiding, responsible children had no negative background. He has a great rapport with the entire community, and has a honorable record as a fire school teacher, fire marshal, community resource officer and fair unbiased law officer. Many people don't know all the extra jobs he has put in, and volunteered time, to help his sons and daughter follow their dreams. If you want to go ahead and convict him based on the headlines you read and see on the news, go ahead, but I am afraid your judgement will be of no use to anyone. If it was you in his position, you would want to be innocent until proven guilty.
Posted by: Citizen Location: Navasota, TX on May 15, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Prayers are needed for this man and his family. I agree, it is hard to believe, and we don't know the whole story. Until he is given a court date, he is presumed innocent. That is the way the law works. He has only been charged, let's not convict him until more facts come out.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: texas on May 15, 2008 at 09:38 PM
I hate that this has happened in Grimes County, but anonymous location, what are you talking about? your comment really is mind boggling and confusing. It seems as if you have several topics thrown together.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Help needed on May 15, 2008 at 07:08 PM
with all the arrested police officers, Jailers, and chief deputy being arrested in the large town of Anderson <300> persons. You would think someone would do a back ground CK. Grimes County you get wat you pay for and vote for. Impressive arrest record the last 10yrs. WE need to keep the TEXAS Attorney General out of town, He Just will not stop arresting are investigators and other Officers. The next County are chief Deputy. WHO WILL SOLVE CRIME? Who will stop are Jailer from having sex with inmates and being arrested. Grimes county must be a multi agency task force target with all the outside agency arrests. No county can top all these arrests. Grimes county is running a undercover sting on it Officers with outside depts help right. IT can not be the management. The all been getting arrested. but the Sheriff. 10 yrs of bad luck. right. It can happen anywhere. right. But it happens over and over in Grimes County.
Posted by: Friend Location: Navasota on May 15, 2008 at 05:53 PM
I really hate to think that he would do something like that... He is such a sweet man!!!
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