Jasper County Justice: THE BIG LIE (And the Criminals Who Love It)

Any of you guys see this post on Ms. A's Facebook page, February 26 at 8:57 p.m. in Carthage, Missouri?

If my sources are correct the young man who was acting interested in the yard ornament was Joshua Hood and the woman was Tabitha Reyes.  

And talk about coincidence, I went to court this morning with a friend whose child was being arraigned via video in Jasper County Division 5 court, and I was lucky enough to get to hear Hood's and Reyes' arraignments also.

When I was a kid I remember that my parents were having a difficult time making the money stretch from payday to payday but they refused to ask for any kind of government assistance.  They considered it shameful to be on a government program -- which I didn't understand at the time because I also remember my great grandmother getting what they called "commodities" and that cheese was damn good, much better than what you buy at the store now.  I say all of this as a thought to hang on to while you read about Mr. Hood.

The case he was re-arrested on in front of  Ms. A's home on Monday was for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle with a D Felony, these charges were filed January 27, 2018.  Now here is the history on this case:

January 27, 2018 arrested

January 29, 2018 Bonded out on a $5,000 surety bond

February 7, 2018 He failed to appear and Judge issued a warrant with $500 cash only bond

February 14, 2018 Arrested on that warrant

February 16, 2018 The Judge OR'd (pinky promise to return) with a court date of 2-21-19

February 21, 2018 He failed to appear, Judge issued warrant with $500 cash only

February 26, 2018 Warrant served in front of Ms. A's  residence

March 1, 2018 Video Arraigned court date of 3-7-18, remaining in custody.

During the decision making time of whether or not to release him again on a pinky promise, place a surety bond on him, or keep him in custody the judge asked him if he worked.  Mr. Hood answered NO, the judge asked WHY, and Mr. Hood replied I'm on Disability (with what I took as a proud tone of voice).

Here we have a defendant who not only has spent our taxpayer dollars to pay the salary of a warrants officer to issue a warrant on this case 3 times, spent our taxpayer dollars paying a deputy to serve the warrants 3 times, spent our taxpayer dollars for the judge to look at him 3 times,  and SPENT OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BE ON DISABILITY!  Maybe if he actually worked a 9-5 job M-F he wouldn't have time to tamper with a motor vehicle and a whole list of other crimes in other counties in Missouri.

A short paragraph on Tabitha Reyes, short because trust me you would give up reading as it is too long a list.  Ms. Reyes has cases going back to 2012, the only year that isn't on case.net is 2014 so she may have been in the Department of Corrections that year.  Ms. Reyes has everything from Possession of a Controlled Substance to Receiving Stolen Property to Forgery to Theft to Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device, and the charge from that evening in front of Ms. A's house is Trafficking Stolen ID's (B Felony) and Receiving Stolen Property (D Felony).

And it just hit me - it's true, you can no longer leave your screen door unhooked in Carthage, it's not safe anymore.

-Jasper County Jane