Arrest Made in Hideway Theft Probe

TYLER � Members of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division served an arrest warrant Tuesday charging Christopher Eugene Meador, 44, with the felony offense of theft in conjunction with a 4-month-long investigation related to tree-cutting. �I want to clear up some confusion relating to statements that some individuals outside of the Sheriff�s Office are making regarding this investigation,� said Sheriff Larry Smith. �This investigation has been focused on an individual who happened to be employed by Hideaway and was by no means an all-encompassing investigation into Hideaway.�

The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Christi Kennedy of the 114th Judicial District Court, relating to documents that were allegedly falsified regarding tree-cutting services Meador was connected with inside Hideaway, which is a gated community near I-20 in Smith County. The allegations include that Meador, on more than one occasion, verbally contracted with an individual for sole rights to cut trees in the community, providing Meador received a portion of the money. Meador�s bond was set at $10,000, and he was booked in to the Smith County Jail. The investigation continues and no additional information is being released pending its outcome, according to officials.