Suspect caught within minutes of Tuesday evening robbery in Kirbyville

Jasper County Sheriff’s Deputies were performing another Saturation Patrol in the Kirbyville area when they were alerted by dispatch of a robbery in progress. A male individual wearing a white hoodie entered the Family Dollar, located at 1115 S Margaret Ave, on August 15, 2023. Preliminary reports indicate that the male approached the cashier with a large knife. The man demanded the money from the cash register before fleeing the building on foot. Kirbyville Police Officer Frank Erimias responded to the scene within minutes of the robbery and quickly relayed the description of the assailant to Jasper County Dispatch. Chief Scotty Duncan, along with several other deputies, were in the area performing another saturation patrol when they were contacted by dispatched with the description of the suspect. Within nine minutes, deputies along with Officer Erimias located the suspect matching the description and placed him in custody. The suspect was found in possession of the knife and the money from the register. Anthony Riley, 58 of Oklahoma was charged by Kirbyville Police Department for Aggravated Robbery. Jasper County Sheriff’s Office charged Riley with Evading Arrest Detention. He remains in the Jasper County Jail awaiting arraignment. The saturation patrol conducted several traffic stops in the area. Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on County Road 574 near FM 1004 E. Officers found an older model Dodge pickup truck stopped in the middle of the county road, and when emergency lights were activated, the truck began moving slowly down the road. According to the sheriff’s press release, after approximately 1/10th of a mile, the driver, who was making furtive deceptive movements, brought the vehicle to a stop. The driver was found to have multiple vehicle violations and an invalid driver license. Upon consent to search the vehicle, methamphetamine and paraphernalia were located. Samuel McGallion, 42 ofKirbyville, Texas was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance PG1. Chief Duncan stated that saturation patrols work. The department began using the tactic last week, utilizing a large number of officers in a concentrated area for usually one night. The move is used for crime reduction in areas and employs the presence of overwhelming force in the hope of deterring crime.