Third Kopbuster arrest
A third person was charged Friday in connection with the December 2008 Kopbuster Sting enacted on the Odessa Police Department in order to bring attention to the case of Yolanda Madden.
Tammy Grimes, 50, of Gardendale, turned herself in Friday afternoon to the Ector County Detention Center on a class B misdemeanor charge of false report to a police officer. She was released hours later on a $500 bond.
It follows the June 28 arrest of Candice Cooper by Texas Rangers at the home of her and husband Barry Cooper, who turned himself in July 2. Both have since bonded out.
According to an affidavit obtained by CBS7, an investigation by Texas Ranger Brian Burney found that Barry Cooper’s fingerprints were on an anonymous letter delivered to the Rev. Terry Pugh, who then turned the letter over to police on Dec. 3, 2008.
The letter said there was drug activity at a house at 232 Lotteman Drive, according to the affidavit.
Based on that, Odessa police obtained a warrant and searched the house Dec. 4, but discovered only grow lights and small trees, not marijuana.
The affidavit further said Grimes and the Coopers were connected to a prepaid cell phone, the rental house and an Odessa hotel room occupied during the raid.
Finally, the affidavit said a raid of Barry Cooper’s residence in Pflugerville based on a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office warrant discovered a DVD with clips of the Coopers preparing the Odessa rental house.
Barry Cooper is facing another charge of making a false report to a peace officer in connection with a sting performed on a deputy there.
A statement by the Odessa police released late Friday said the May 10 guilty plea of Yolanda Madden after being given a new trial and arrests of the Coopers and Grimes have vindicated Odessa police officers in both matters.
FALSE REPORT TO PEACE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE
A person commits an offense if, with intent to deceive, he knowingly makes a false statement that is material to a criminal investigation and makes the statement to a peace officer conducting the investigation or any employee of a law enforcement agency that is authorized by the agency to conduct the investigation and that the actor knows is conducting the investigation.
Source: Texas Penal Code Sec. 37.08
