Jacksboro hammered by vandal

A Jacksboro man is in jail on a $100,000 bond following a late night vandalism spree Tuesday. Jacksboro awoke Wednesday morning to 11 businesses with damaged storefronts and more.

At approximately midnight, officers responded to a burglar alarm at Fred’s in the 600 block of North Main Street. A suspect had broken the glass to the front door of the business triggering the alarm. The suspect had also ripped the meter box off the back of the building police believe in an attempt to disconnect the electricity and disable the alarm.

The Jacksboro Police Department began investigating a possible burglary at Fred’s and also Chicken Express which also had its front door glass broken out. Jack Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and while assisting the police, the dispatcher told Deputy Zach Walley a caller who would not identify themselves reported suspicious activity at Sonic. The call originated from the Butterfield Motel.

According to an affidavit from Walley, the caller called back two other times once wanting the jail and once to tell dispatchers, “that God loves them.”

Because the call seemed suspicious, Walley began surveilling the Butterfield from T&S Tire across Main Street.

“While watching the Butterfield, I observed Bray Little (40, of Jacksboro), which I recognized from previous experiences walking outside of the Butterfield Motel,” Walley wrote. “He had a hammer in his hand and kept walking back and forth from his room to the edge of the roadway.

“After watching him for a few minutes I observed Little walk into Fred’s parking lot and began approaching the front doors with a hammer and a beer can in his hands.”

Walley notified Deputy Code McGee and Jacksboro Police Chief Scott Haynes, then saw Little take off running in the direction of Oakwood Cemetery when the two patrol cars arrived. 

After a short foot chase, Little was caught behind the Butterfield Motel and placed under arrest for evading arrest/detention, a state jail felony, and public intoxication-enhanced and booked into the Jack County Jail.

Public intoxication-enhanced is a Class B Misdemeanor which carries a maximum punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine, as opposed to public intoxication which is a Class C or a ticketable offense.

“If you have more than three convictions for public intoxication within 24 months, the next one that you’re arrested on can be enhanced to a Class B misdemeanor,” Haynes said.

Little has three in the last seven months. He was arrested and convicted for public intoxication Sept. 30, 2018, Oct. 31, 2018, and April 8, 2019.

An investigation Wednesday into the incidences of vandalism warranted an additional charge of criminal mischief greater than or equal to $2,500 but less than $30,000, a state jail offense which carries 180 days to two years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

The businesses with damage, mainly glass in front doors, were  Fred’s, Chicken Express, Dairyland, JR’s Chophouse, Jacksboro City Hall, Tiger Mart, Jack County Auto Sales and Service, Jacksboro Country Club and TNT Convenience Store.

“There’s no evidence that he entered any place but he could have. Nothing was missing or in disarray. None were filed as a burglary,” Haynes said.

There was also a residential property with similar damage.

“The MO was the same everywhere, the same consistent damage,” Haynes said. “The investigation is ongoing we’re going to have to sort through whether or not they were targeted.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Little was being held in the Jack County Jail on a $100,000 bond for the public intoxication and evading arrest charges. He had not yet been arraigned for the criminal mischief charge.