Police hunt possible online predator
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com
      A young El Campo woman did just the right thing when she accidentally came across a possible pedophile while online. According to El Campo Police detective David Howard, the 21-year-old was chatting on her computer when something went awry.
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Police Blotter
      City Arrests Alcohol, drugs Jim Leroy Phillips, 49, of 906 Ave. C was arrested at 9:43 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
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Two 'slack'er shoplifters hide groceries in pants
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com
      In a strange coincidence, two El Campo men allegedly tried to sneak out of a local grocery store with stolen goods in their pants in separate incidents earlier this week. Roger Ray Vernon, 51, was recently featured as El Campo Police Department's "Most Wanted" for allegedly stealing a pressure wa...
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Shouldn't Be Needed
      Soaking rains came in the nick of time earlier this week, as the county was on the cusp of instituting a burn ban. Wetter conditions mean crews such as these El Campo VFD volunteers, shown at a grass fire earlier this year, should not be as busy as they might have been.
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COURT REPORTS
      Organized crime and car theft were among the crimes several Wharton County residents will have to defend against following October grand jury deliberations. And while a grand jury indictment is not an indication of guilt, it is a citizen jury verdict that a prosecutor has enough evidence against ...
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