Posted 9:23 pm Thursday, June 18, 2009
East Texas Jury Gives O’Neal 35 Years For Robbery
HENDERSON -- A Rusk County jury convicted Reginald Dewayne O'Neal, 33, of Tyler, for robbery and handed down a 35-year prison sentence in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice institution.
The jury reached agreement on the sentence after deliberating two hours Wednesday following conviction of O'Neal on Tuesday.
The robbery occurred about 2:30 p.m. Dec. 23, 2008, at the Chevron Kerrville Bus Company store and bus station owned by Mohammed Halder on U.S. Highway 79 near the traffic star in Henderson.
During the robbery O'Neal patted a bulge in his waistband causing the victim to believe he had a weapon, according to county/district attorney Mi-chael E. Jimerson and assistant district attorney Richard W. Kennedy.
The victim identified O'Neal in a photo line-up prepared by Lead Detective Eric Sullivan, Patrol Sergeant Chuck McDonald and CID Lt. Craig Sweeney.
Sullivan obtained a warrant from the district attorney's office, while McDonald and Sweeney received a tip the suspect was at a local crack house and was purchasing drugs with cash and cigarettes stolen during the robbery. McDonald and Sweeney arrested the defendant within an hour and a half of the robbery.
At the time of the 2008 robbery, O'Neal was on parole for two eight-year prison sentences assessed in 2005 for delivery of a controlled substance and robbery.
