Sheriff Says Stolen Merchandise Found

A Quinlan man turned himself in to the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office after items reported stolen in excess of $11,000 were recovered Friday night in south Hunt County.

Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks said an email and cell phone text-message program, "Friends of the Sheriff," was utilized to notify over 1,200 recipients of the recovered items.

Meeks said that soon after the message was sent on Sunday, Rudy Cortez, 28, contacted a Hunt County investigator and turned himself in the following morning.

In a prepared release, Chief Deputy Joe Knight stated that Hunt County Sheriff’s Deputies Kenneth Peters, Ed Snead, Sgt. Alan Geer and Roger Seals, assisted by Greenville Police Department Detective Mike Johnston, executed a search and arrest warrant at an address on Private Road 3690 in Quinlan in search of stolen property.

Knight said a Cub Cadet Zero Turn Lawn Mower, reported stolen by a Caddo Mills resident, was recovered. A John Deere Model 285 lawn tractor was also seized during the course of the investigation.

Hunt County Investigator Peters, accompanied by Patrol Deputy Jimmie Everett and a Hawk Cove Police officer, went to another residence in Crestview Estates in search of Cortez. "Here, the officers recovered a manufactured Black tilt-top-hat utility trailer," Knight said.

"The investigation led to yet another residence in Mountain View Estates," the release states. "Here, deputies recovered a brand new John Deere 850 D Limited Gator XUV which had the serial number removed. Also seized was a Black utility trailer that was registered to Rudolfo Cortez, but is believed to be a stolen trailer that has been altered. Also seized was a Power Mate 3500 generator that was on the trailer at the time."

He said the investigation into locating all the rightful owners was ongoing. Meeks said one of the items was from Hall County.

Knight said Cortez had been charged with two counts of theft over $1,500 and under $20,000. Cortez was released on bond.