TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The punishment phase has begun on Friday after former Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Curtis Taylor-Harris was found guilty of theft of property by a public servant.
The district attorney’s office said they are looking for the maximum sentence of two years in state jail for this case.
First to testify for the State was Traylor-Harris’ pretrial supervisor Terrie Lindsey with Smith County Probation who said she filed a violation report for him after an anonymous tip showed Traylor-Harris violating his bond conditions while attending a graduation in Navarro County without permission while allegedly carrying a firearm.
She said the video displayed two possible bond violations by Traylor-Harris, carrying a firearm and traveling without the court’s permission, and that his bond conditions were violated a third time when he traveled to Terrell without the court’s permission.
Constable Precinct 5 Deputy Kevin Petty and Canine Officer Aarron Robledo for Southwestern Christian College in Terrell also testified for the State in sentencing and said they had both pulled over Traylor-Harris in their official capacities.
Petty said after pulling him over for speeding in May 2021, Traylor-Harris sent his boss an email saying something along the lines of “I thought we don’t write other law enforcement tickets.”
Robledo said he pulled over Traylor-Harris in March after he saw his unknown vehicle pick up and take off with someone, who was later found to be a student, around 1 a.m. after the campus’s curfew.
He said he performed a reasonable suspicion investigative stop on him, and during the stop Traylor-Harris used vulgar language towards him, and said that he allegedly made verbal threats after being told he was criminally trespassing on the campus.
“He said ‘I don’t have to listen to you'” Robledo said. “He told me ‘Monday you will not have a job.'”
Both Petty and Robledo said Traylor-Harris handed them his employee ID and driver’s license in response to the stop.
The State rested their case, and due to scheduling conflicts, the defense asked for a delay in sentencing. The punishment phase of this case is set to continue on Monday.
