August 8, 2014

Jasper County Man Indicted for Lethal Drug Transactions

BEAUMONT, TX—A 28-year-old Jasper, Texas man has been indicted for federal drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Shane Dwayne Hadnot was indicted on Aug. 6, 2014 by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death and distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. Hadnot was arrested on Aug. 7, 2014 and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin today.

According to the indictment, on Nov. 7, 2013, Alfred Wright, of Jasper, Texas, was reported missing by his family after his truck broke down in rural Sabine County, Texas. Articles of Wright’s clothing were found on private land, approximately a mile from where Wright was last seen. After searchers initially failed to locate Wright, his body was found on Nov. 25, 2013 in brush near where his clothing had been found. An investigation into the cause of Wright’s disappearance and death revealed his involvement with Shane Hadnot. Phone records, witness statements, and drug evidence located during the search of Shane Hadnot’s car, indicated that Hadnot was selling cocaine to Alfred Wright.

During the two-day period before Wright’s death, Hadnot and Wright exchanged 20 text messages. The indictment alleges that on Nov. 7, 2013, Wright sent a text message to Hadnot at 12:36 p.m. requesting to purchase cocaine and other illegal narcotics from Hadnot. Wright went missing approximately five hours later. An autopsy was performed on Wright’s body and toxicology testing revealed that Wright’s blood contained cocaine, methamphetamine and Xanax. The final autopsy report, and other experts in the fields of pathology, toxicology, and anthropology concluded that Wright’s cause of death was an accident due to combined drug intoxication.

If convicted, Hadnot faces from 20 years to life in federal prison for each charge.

This case is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brit Featherston and John B. Ross.

It is important to note that a grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.