Payne Springs police chief, officer arrested on drug charges

MABANK, Texas (KLTV) - Payne Springs’ police chief and a police officer have been arrested.

According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Payne Springs Chief of Police April Dawn Meadows, 37, and Reserve Officer Jonathan Paul Hutchison, 40, were arrested around 11 a.m. Thursday morning at their respective houses in Mabank.

Hillhouse said his office had received information that Meadows and Hutchison had been dealing drugs previously seized by the Payne Springs Police Department. When deputies executed search warrants at the homes of Meadows and Hutchison, controlled substances were found, Hillhouse said. An additional search warrant was executed at the impound yard of the police department.

Meadows and Hutchinson have each been arrested on charges of delivery of a controlled substance and money laundering. Hutchison and Meadows’ bond amounts are $1.5 million for each charge.

Hillhouse said Texas Rangers, Mabank police and the district attorney’s office assisted in the investigation.

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