Man arrested after drug deal text lands in officer's hands

PORTER, TX

Travis Edwin Huffman allegedly was trying to arrange a narcotics transaction via text message with one of his customers, but he dialed the wrong number, and the text went to the phone of a deputy with the Pct. 4 Constable's Office, according to a Montgomery County Pct. 4 Constable's Office statement.

Narcotics investigators responded to the message and communicated with Huffman until they reached an agreement to meet Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of the Porter Walmart on the southbound side of Highway 59. An undercover officer met up with Huffman and reportedly purchased Hydrocodone pills from Huffman, who set up shop in his vehicle.

Pct. 4 Lt. Mark Seals and Sgt. Ricky Warwick placed Huffman under arrest following the transaction, but authorities say it didn't end there.

Officers including Pct. 4 Constable Kenneth Hayden and Chief Deputy Barry Welch then went to Huffman's residence where they found Huffman's mother, Kimberly Meadows, 43, allegedly in possession of marijuana.

After Meadows, who lists her occupation as "disabled" was taken into in custody for the marijuana, investigators say she voluntarily told them she gave her son a certain quantity of Hydrocodone pills, which he was supposed to sell and then share the proceeds. Huffman confirmed his mother's statement and both are now charged with state jail felon Delivery of a Controlled Substance.

"We've arrested a large number of people for selling narcotics in East County, but this is the first time I can recall a dealer who we were unaware of contacting us to set up a transaction," Constable Hayden said. "What Mr. Huffman did today was kind of a self-service felony arrest."

To make matters more bizarre, he said, Huffman's mother already knew she was dealing with police when she admitted her involvement in the narcotics transaction.

"We arrested Ms. Meadows on a misdemeanor marijuana charge and she talked her way into a felony charge," Constable Hayden said.