This interview was recorded Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the Henderson County Justice Center.
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This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about jail visitation being banned for 14 more days, recovering multiple stolen vehicles, and becoming a board member of the .....
I. Stats (:53)
There are currently 429 in the jail with 104 of those being out-of-county inmates.
II. Visitation (1:37)
In-person visitation in the jail has been suspended for another 14 days because of COVID-19.
Sheriff Hillhouse said the COVID-19 numbers are down in the jail with two inmates positive and half a dozen quarantined, but he wants to be careful with this issue.
"I do not feel comfortable opening visitation back up until it is completely gone from out of the jail," he said.
III. Stolen Vehicles (3:47)
The investigation into the theft of a 2013 Bobcat Skid Steer led to the Tuesday night recovery of that vehicle plus a Ford 3/4-ton pickup and a 2016 John Deere tractor.
The theft of the Skid Steer was reported on Sept. 7. The case was turned over to Investigator Tell Walker, who is also a part of the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force. Walker's investigation led to Deputy Jonathan Barrios checking out an address in Mabank where the stolen vehicles were found.
There were no arrests Tuesday night, but the investigation continues.
"It was an extremely large recovery," said Sheriff Hillhouse.
The recovered vehicles were stolen out of three different counties.
"So it looks like it is a pretty good-sized ring we're getting in the middle of," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Hopefully they'll stop stealing stuff and hopefully we'll be able to prosecute them."
IV. Mental Health Board (7:35)
Sheriff Hillhouse started his rotation on the Andrews Center board this week. He will be part of the board for the next two years.
Sheriff Hillhouse said the county has worked with the Andrews Center on mental health issues in the jail for many years. They also work with the Andrews Center with residents in the county who are having a mental health crisis but are not in custody.
"This is an opportunity to grow the relationship with the Andrews Center," he said.
Sheriff Hillhouse said mental health is a big issue across the state.
"There's not enough bed space for inmates and there's not enough civil bed space," he said.
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