Feds arrest East Texas police chief for role in meth ring

Federal and state law enforcement officials arrested an East Texas police chief in connection with his alleged role in a methamphetamine trafficking ring, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman of the Western District of Texas announced.

Normangee Police Chief Joseph Ray "Jody" Navarro, 40, is in federal custody, charged with one count of intentionally exceeding authorized access to a protected computer, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to a criminal complaint filed Aug. 22 and unsealed today, the Madisonville resident used a law enforcement computer system to aid the alleged meth trafficker.

In May 2013, Navarro ran a background check on a name supplied to him by suspected methamphetamine trafficker and Normangee resident Brenda Antanette Evans, 45. A separate but related criminal complaint charges Evans and 25–year-old Joshua Troy Thomas, also of Normangee, with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to the complaint, Evans bought almost an ounce of meth from Thomas on behalf of an undercover agent for approximately $1,200, on April 26, 2013, during an undercover investigation.

Authorities arrested Navarro and Thomas yesterday without incident. Both are scheduled to have a detention hearing on Sept. 3 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske in Waco.

Evans remains at large.

If convicted, Navarro faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine; Thomas and Evans face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Leon County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration as well as Deputy U.S. Marshals assisted with the arrests.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kucera is prosecuting the case.