A Henderson County man with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced to 16 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after being convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. The conviction came last week in the 392nd District Court before Judge Scott McKee, with First Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cox prosecuting the case.
The charge stems from an October 13, 2024, traffic stop conducted by Henderson County Sheriff’s Deputy Melissa Harmon. While patrolling the Cherokee Shores Drive area, Harmon noticed a motorcycle with no license plate and initiated a stop. The driver, identified as Matthew Timothy Poe, told the deputy he had recently been released from prison and admitted he was carrying a firearm in his pocket. He was taken into custody for being a felon in possession of a weapon.
During the arrest, Harmon discovered several credit cards in Poe’s possession, each bearing the names of different individuals. That discovery added to the concern given Poe’s long record, which spans charges and convictions in both Florida and Texas.
Poe’s prior history in Florida includes Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief, Theft, and Possession of Burglary Tools. In Texas, he has served prison time for Prohibited Weapons and Burglary of Habitation in 2013, and for Tampering with Evidence in 2021. He has also served multiple terms in state jail for drug possession and has previous convictions for Criminal Mischief, Assault Family Violence, and Failure to Identify.
Poe is now back in state custody to serve his 16-year sentence.
