Area fire departments receive donations from forfeiture

Milam County’s fire departments and the Child Protective Services Board will get $24,000 in donations thanks to a seizure made by the Milam County Sheriff’s Department earlier this year.

County Commissioners approved the donations from the Milam County District Attorney’s Office’s forfeiture fund during their meeting on June 11.

Assistant District Attorney Kyle Nuttall presented  District Attorney Bill Torrey’s proposal to make the one-time donations from the District Attorney’s special forfeiture account. The Cameron, Rockdale, Milano and Thorndale Fire Departments will get $2,500; the Buckholts, Burlington, Minerva, Gause, Davilla and Black Jack Fire Departments will receive $1,500; and the Milam County Child Protective Services Board will receive $5,000.

These donations were made possible as a result of the Milam County Sheriff’s Department’s recent seizure on FM 1712 near Rockdale. Deputies seized $831,000 in cash, gambling equipment, and firearms after finding 40-year-old Rock Eanes passed out behind the wheel.

In May, Eanes was sentenced to one day in the Milam County Jail. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $60 to DPS after pleading guilty to a Lesser Included Misdemeanor, DWI.

The DA’s Office said the local agencies should receive the funds by the end of the month.

In other business commissioners also: accepted course completion certificates for Jodi Morgan and Sonia Eva Vega-Perez, approved a resolution for the CTCOG Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan; and approved an application by Tread Stone Energy Partners Operating for a pipeline crossing permit.