According to Early Chief of Police David Mercer, officers in his department made two unrelated traffic stops which resulted in the arrest of four people over the weekend on drug related charges.
At approximately 2 p.m. Saturday, Officer Michelle Sheedy stopped a vehicle in the 900 block of Early Blvd., in the Early Primary School parking lot, for a traffic violation. The occupants were identified as driver John Simon Armendarez (29) of Brownwood and passenger Marjorie Elaine Schneider (39) of Early. According to the report, when Officer Sheedy asked if the pair had anything illegal in the vehicle, Armendarez replied that he had a gun and that he was a convicted felon. Both Armendarez and Schneider were removed from the vehicle and it was searched, which led to the .380 caliber handgun being located, the report states. Sheedy also located numerous small Ziplock baggies, scales, $2000 in cash and methamphetamine, the report states.
Both Armendarez and Schneider were taken into custody. Armendarez was charged with manufacture delivery of a controlled substance penalty group 1 greater than 1 gram less than 4 grams in a drug free zone, unlawful possession of a firearm by felon in a weapon free zone, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Schneider was charged with possession of a controlled substance penalty group 3 less than 28 grams in a drug free zone and on a Brown County warrant for theft of property greater than $20 less than $500 by check. Armendarez was held in the Brown County Jail and released on bonds totaling $30,500. Schneider was also released on bonds totaling $6,000.
In an unrelated traffic stop made by EPD Officer Andres Contreras at 10:00 p.m. Saturday night in the 1200 block of C.C. Woodson, the driver and a female passenger of the vehicle acted very nervous when stopped by the officer, the report states. According to Mercer, the driver identified himself as Billy Gearheart and gave a date of birth to the officer; however, officer Contreras recognized the driver from previous encounters but could not remember his name, other than it was not Gearheart.
A short time later, Brownwood Police and Brown County Sheriff’s units arrived to assist. Officer Contreras questioned the driver further and obtained consent to search the vehicle, locating some methamphetamine, the report states. The driver, later identified as 24-year-old Cody Ray Vuittonet of Brownwood, broke free from officers when they were about to place him into custody, running on foot according to the report. Officers pursued Vuittonet for several blocks before capturing him and placing him under arrest the report states.
The female, identified as 33-year-old Lucy Amaya was also taken into custody, the report states. The methamphetamines were field tested and weighed approximately 9 grams, according to Mercer. Other paraphernalia was also found in the vehicle and on both Vuittenet’s and Amaya’s persons.
Vuittonet was charged with possession of a controlled substance penalty group over 4 grams less than 200 grams (a 2nd degree felony), evading arrest with previous convictions state jail felony and failure to identify, on an outstanding warrant for evading arrest and on a parole violation warrant. Vuittonet is being held in the Brown County Jail in lieu of bonds totaling $65,000.
Amaya was charged with possession of controlled substance over 4 grams (a 2nd degree felony).
