2018-04-30 Matthew Wayne Austin

April 25, 2018 Arrest of Hunter Howard

On April 25, 2018, DPS surveillance units watching the home of Matthew Wayne Austin saw a man driving a black Chevrolet Impala pull up to the home. The driver of the Impala went to the back of the house and then came back to the car and drove away.^[1]

Shortly after the driver left the residence, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper Stacy Johnson conducted a traffic stop on the Impala. She made contact with the driver and learned that he was Hunter Lee Howard.

As the trooper spoke with Howard, she noticed the smell of marijuana coming from Howard.

She conducted a probable cause search that included the Impala and a black shoulder bag worn by Howard. Inside the black shoulder bag, Trooper Johnson found 392 grams of methamphetamine. She also found $2,795 in cash in Howard's pockets.

Trooper Johnson took Howard into custody and contacted DPS Criminal Investigations Division Special Agent (CID SA) Jered Snelgrooes and he came to the scene.

SA Snelgrooes transported Howard to the Texas DPS Office for an interview. Howard waived his Miranda rights and agreed to make a statement.

He told SA Snelgrooes that he sold meth and his source of supply was Matthew Wayne Austin.

April 30, 2018 Search warrant executed

Howard told the agent that when he needed to buy more meth, he would go by the house or call Caroline, the wife of Austin. He also admitted that he had picked up the 392 grams of methamphetamine found in the shoulder bag from Austin's house shortly before he was stopped.

Howard described how when purchasing the drugs, the transaction usually took place in the backyard.

With the information provided by Howard, agents obtained.a search warrant for Matthew and Caroline's home at 1737 Walker Drive in Amarillo, Texas.

The search warrant was executed on April 30, 2018. Matthew Wayne Austin was located inside the home by DPS CID agents.

A search of the home turned up 338 grams of methamphetamine in a gun box on the back patio of the home.

May 2, 2018 DPS special agents interview Austin

On May 2, 2018, SA Snelgrooes interviewed Matthew Austin at the Potter County Detention Center. In the interview, Austin admitted to selling methamphetamine and claimed all responsibility for the drugs found at his home.

He told the agents that his source of supply was Chad Edward Walker, who had been arrested at the Candlewick Inn along with his wife and a former Sunray high school principal just days before the arrest of Howard.

He provided the agents with substantial information about how he made purchases and moved the drugs.

On July 26, a federal grand jury indicted Austin on a charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Footnotes