Pubdate: Wed, 20 Sep 2000
Source: Longview News-Journal (TX)
Copyright: 2000sCox Interactive Media
Contact:  P.O. Box 1792, Longview, TX 75605
Fax: 903.757.3742
Website: http://www.news-journal.com/index.html
Author: John Lynch

WOMAN CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT, DRUG DELIVERY

A 21-year-old Longview woman faces felony charges of child endangerment and
drug delivery after drug agents accused her of selling marijuana in front of
her 3-year-old son and driving with him in the car while she was under the
influence of the drug. A second Longview woman faces a related charge.

Agents of the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement unit found Katherine
"Katie" Marie Uher and Casie Katherine Williams, a woman agents say sold
drugs with Uher, at Lack's Furniture Center on H.G. Mosely Parkway, where
they took the pair into custody about 5 p.m. Monday, arrest reports show.
The arrests came about four hours after Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson
signed arrest warrants based on the charges by CODE Agent Floyd Wingo, jail
records show.

Neither woman appears affiliated with the furniture store. Uher told jailers
she is a secretary in the city of Longview's finance department while
Williams' employment was not clear.

Uher was released from the Gregg County Jail Tuesday morning on $16,000
bond, charged with delivery of marijuana, endangering a child and theft by
check, jail records show. The status of Uher's son was not clear Tuesday.

Williams, who turned 19 Tuesday, was released on $10,500 bond, charged with
delivery of marijuana and possession of marijuana. After Williams was taken
into custody, agents found a cigarette pack in her purse containing a small
amount of marijuana, according to an arrest report.

Drug agents first became aware of the women in July when Agent Blaine
Shavers of the Northeast Texas Narcotic Task Force told CODE agents he knew
a person in the Spring Hill area of Longview who was selling marijuana, the
warrant said. Bankrolled by CODE, Shavers contacted Williams July 19 and
paid her $130 for about two ounces of marijuana at her home, No. 2, 505
Tammy Lynn St., according to the warrants. Williams told the undercover
agent that he could buy marijuana from her or Uher, the warrant said.

Shavers bought about the same amount of marijuana twice at Uher's home, 200
Birch St., off Pine Tree Road, with CODE agents videotaping the Aug. 7 and
Sept. 7 transactions, the warrant said.

It's not clear if Uher still lives at that house. Court records list at
least three other addresses for her.

A camera malfunctioned during the Aug. 7 encounter, but Uher's voice was
caught on tape, according to the warrant. The September encounter appears to
have been successfully videotaped, according to the warrant.

Shavers met with the two women Sept. 7 at the The Timbers Apartments on East
Marshall Avenue where Uher called several people to find marijuana to sell
to the undercover agent, the warrants said. She told Shavers he had to pay
her $120 up front for two ounces of marijuana, which he did, according to
the warrant. Uher told Shavers she would meet him at her home to deliver the
drug.

Uher's son was present during the meeting at the apartment, the warrant
said.

"The entire time that this drug-related activity is occurring, Uher's 3- to
4-year-old son is in the apartment," the complaint against Uher reads.

When Shaver and Uher met later at her home, she told the undercover agent
she had smoked a marijuana cigar, known as a blunt, before driving her red
Nissan Maxima to the residence, the warrant said. Agents noted her son was a
passenger in the car.

"Uher's son was in a child safety seat in the back seat of the vehicle," the
warrant said. "After smoking the marijuana cigar, Uher ... drove back to the
apartment at 200 Birch Street with her son in the vehicle with her."

The theft charge against Uher accuses her of writing a bad check for $25 to
Skinner's Superette Jan. 8, court records show.
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