Published: April 19, 2007 02:46 pm      

Ex-deputy gets 10 years on meth possession charge

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

PALO PINTO – Former Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Ed Talbert, 38, received confinement and a fine Tuesday for the charge of possession of a controlled substance greater than 1 gram and less than 4 grams.

Talbert was initially charged with the offense of possession on Jan. 9, 2005, and his bond set at $25,000. He was arrested by a Department of Public Safety trooper and reportedly had slightly over 2 grams of methamphetamine. Talbert was indicted on June 23, 2005, and arraigned a month later.

Scheduled to have his case presented to a jury beginning Tuesday, court records indicated Talbert requested Monday to withdraw his request for a jury to assess punishment upon conviction. He reportedly made the request again on Tuesday, and the court found him guilty, assessing his punishment at 10 years confinement and a fine of $2,500.

As the charge of possession of a controlled substance greater than 1 gram and less than 4 grams is a third-degree felony, Talbert received the maximum confinement possible.

Talbert was a deputy for the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Department from May 1989, to November 1995.