By Michael Pineda
Arguments have begun in the case of Ardmore attorney Jason May, who has been charged with five felony counts of filing a false/forged instrument.
The jury was selected Monday with prosecutor Beau Dismukes presenting an opening argument Tuesday morning. The defense opted to wait to make its argument.
Dismukes read the indictment and presented the case, which began with a traffic stop on Feb. 5, 2019, of a man who identified himself as Humberto Panama. Eric Grisham, who was a corporal with the Ardmore Police Department, initiated the stop and was presented with a Mexican driver’s license, which he determined was fake. As a result of the stop, a total of $367,000 was seized and a forfeiture case was filed by the Carter County District Attorney’s Office.
The man who identified himself as Panama was identified at Jorge Flores the following day. He bonded out and left Ardmore.
Jason May is accused of presenting false documents as Flores’ attorney. Dismukes said Mahy claimed communications with Flores by email and through his stepdaughter in Austin. He also talked about the legal battle that ensued along with the documentation provided that included a death certificate.
Grisham was the first witness called to the stand. He went through his training and testified that he was assigned to the narcotics division working patrol the day Flores was pulled over.
Dismukes asked questions regarding the stop that included deploying a K-9 unit and the discovery of $10,000 in cash in a suitcase in $20 bills. Grisham also testified that he identified tattoos on Flores that indicated a connection to a cartel.
Flores was taken into custody, and the vehicle was transported from the scene. A search warrant was secured and during the search, a compartment was discovered that it held $357,730. The compartment also field-tested positive for drug residue.
Grisham testified the money was taken to what is Landmark Bank and deposited into an evidence account. The money was counted out by him and an APD captain in the presence of two bank employees.
He also testified that he filed seizure paperwork, which would provide 75% of the funds to APD and 25% of the funds to the district attorney’s office. Funds are limited to specific uses.
Defense Attorney Dan Pond cross-examined Grisham and asked about the specifics of the traffic stop in relation to cam footage that was taken. Questions included the details leading to the traffic stop and the deployment of the K-9, Boss.
Pond highlighted differences in the footage and prior testimony in regard to a sequence of events and that Gresham had incorrectly put the wrong statute on the citation. The defense attorney also talked about a statement in which Grisham told three other officers prior to the search that he did not think the car was “loaded.” Grisham was asked why that was not included in the affidavit, to which Grisham said he was not 100% sure and that was why he had asked for the search warrant.
Testimony was also given by Grisham about a phone call he had received from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the man who was identified as Panama. Pond had direct questions about the names and dates on the citation.
The trial is being held in Carter County with Hughes County Associate District Judge Trisha Smith presiding. McClain Assistant District Attorney Jacobi Whatley is heading the prosecution with Matt Swain heading the defense team.
