Published: April 02, 2008 10:09 am      

SCU busts gang before robbery

Danie M. Huffman

wdreporter2@yahoo.com

A band of would-be thieves were more than likely stunned to find that their plan to rob an undercover officer during a foiled drug buy.

Members of the Weatherford-Parker County Special Crimes Unit had been conducting an investigation since early September, which led to an undercover drug buy from five suspects.

According to an undercover officer with the SCU, through several phone calls and meetings, the drug purchase was set up to take place in the city.

“We arranged the sale of narcotics at a local hotel,” said the undercover officer, whose name is being withheld.

The officer also said the expected sale was for more than one ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $1,000 cash payment.

SCU Sgt. James Peel said while the suspects were in route to the hotel, they changed their plans and decided to rob the unsuspecting officer of the cash to be used in the sale.

“When a group plans to commit a felony offense, it’s considered an organized crime,” the officer said.

The suspect’s vehicle was stopped by a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper before they reached the hotel and two suspects, identified as Eduardo Herrera, 36, of Fort Worth, and Anita Jean Culver, 49, of Forest Hill, were arrested.

Eduardo Herrera was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, a parole violation and manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance for a warrant out of Tarrant County. His bond was set at $20,000 with two no bonds placed on the parole violation and firearm charges.

Herrera also has a previous charge of a prohibited weapon dating back to 2003.

Culver was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a dangerous drug. She was released the same day on $8,500 bail.

Culver was later arrested again in December for manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance.

She was released five days later on a $20,000 bond.

The remaining three, identified as Barrett Kyle Craft, 28, Brandon Coy Kimbrell, 19, both of Weatherford, and John Wayne Vasquez, 27, of Granbury, were arrested by SCU investigators as they immediately entered the hotel room.

Craft was charged with possession of a controlled substance and a parole violation. His bail was set at $35,000.

His previous charges include three separate assault charges causing bodily injury and more than four separate drug charges ranging from possession to delivery.

Vasquez was charged with possession of a controlled substance, four to 200 grams. Vasquez’ bond was set at $20,000. He spent nearly two months in jail before being released Nov. 1.

Kimbrell was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for Parker and Tarrant counties, fraudulent use/possession of identifying information and burglary of a habitation/off bond. His bond was set at $57,505 with a no bond for the Tarrant County charge.

His prior convictions include a previous drug possession charge and a separate burglary of a habitation charge.

Peel said Craft and Herrera confessed to investigators they had planned to rob the officer and split the money three ways. Peel also said Kimbrell admitted his involvement in the plan.

Thursday, all three men were indicted by the Parker County grand jury for engaging in organized criminal activity.

Craft was also charged with manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance.

As of press time, all three men were still incarcerated at the Parker County Justice Center.

According to Parker County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Swain, Herrera, Kimbrell and Craft are set for arraignment May 7.

The cases are slated to reach the trial docket July 28.

“If convicted, each of these defendants is facing a first degree felony sentence ranging from five to 99 years in prison or life, and up to a $10,000 fine,” Swain said.