Peters pleads guilty to federal charge

Fred Peters

Former Jasper County Constable Freddy Earl Peters has pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute the drug.

AFederal Grand Jury in the Eastern District of Texas indicted Peters on July 19 after he was initially charged by complaint in early July. Peters entered his plea Friday, Jan. 26 before U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield in Beaumont.

According to investigators, eight days after being arrested in a public intoxication case, Peters was snagged in a sting operation that had been a month in the making.

Peters, a Precinct 6 Constable in the Evadale area at the time, was accused of buying methamphetamine from an informant at a motel in Silsbee.

Electronic surveillance recorded the transaction, and when Peters left a motel room about 10 p.m., he was arrested. Police found about a half-gram of methamphetamine, which apparently was being taken to another person.

"I was very surprised at the (Peters) arrest," said then- Silsbee Police Chief C.T. Bartosh said. "I've been in law enforcement for 29 years and Mr. Peters is someone that I am very much acquainted with.

"We went into the situation not knowing how it would turn out," Bartosh said. "We didn't know if he was trying to conduct his own undercover operation, but obviously he was not doing that."

Sentencing will be held after the completion of a presentence report in several months. Peters faces up to a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine not to exceed $1 million, or both and supervised release for at least three years. Peters remains released on bond pending trial.

The case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the Silsbee Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Rawls.