Three men were taken into custody on March 18, 2025, following a felony traffic stop and investigation into a stolen trailer near the intersection of FM-1008 and SH-321, the Liberty County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) reported.
A Liberty County deputy, responding to a report of a blue Ford pickup hauling a stolen trailer, was flagged down by a citizen who provided information on the trailer’s location near CR-3011 and CR-3012. Upon arrival, the deputy observed Constable Hunter conducting a felony stop on a white SUV and was directed to assist a Deputy Constable in stopping a blue pickup truck.
The driver of the pickup was identified as Joshua Anthony Deselle, 35, and the passenger as Johnathan Garret Samilo, 27. During the stop, the deputy noticed that the license plate had been altered with black tape, obstructing its readability. Deselle informed authorities that there was a weapon in the vehicle, leading to the discovery of a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat.
LCSO investigators arrived to assist, and an inventory search of the vehicle revealed an additional loaded handgun, ammunition, ski masks, and suspected stolen items. Meanwhile, the driver of the white SUV was identified as Robert Nelson Jones, who had five outstanding warrants for Class C offenses.
Deselle and Samilo were charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon by a Felon, while both also faced theft charges filed by Constable Hunter. Jones was taken into custody on his outstanding warrants. All three were transported to the Liberty County Jail without incident.
The investigation remains ongoing.
