TEXARKANA, Texas - A man accused of stealing a large amount of heavy equipment and other items from a Bowie County rancher and others was taken back into custody Monday at a pretrial hearing for allegedly failing a drug test.
Justin Paul Cobb, 38, appeared with Longview, Texas, lawyer Greg Waldron for the hearing before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell. Near the end of the hearing, Tidwell ordered Cobb back into custody for violating his bond conditions by allegedly failing a drug test.
Last month Tidwell presided over a bench trial in a civil suit filed by a Bowie County rancher. Cooper Ranch owner Anthony Cooper sought damages for damage to equipment that was recovered from Cobb's property in Naples, Texas, in Morris County and for property which has never been found.
Some stolen property was discovered on an approximately 12-acre plot of land owned by Cobb in Morris County, Texas, in May 2019 after a GPS locator on an excavator stolen from an Oklahoma-based construction company led authorities there.
At the end of the civil proceeding, Tidwell ordered Cobb to pay more than $100,000 in actual damages, court costs and attorney fees.
The criminal charges against Cobb remain pending.
At Monday's pretrial hearing Waldron asked Tidwell to schedule the criminal case for a plea. The theft of property charge pending against Cobb is punishable by two to 10 years in prison.
At the time was Cobb was taken back into custody Monday he was free on a $100,000 bond.
Tidwell scheduled the case for a hearing April 26.