HUNT COUNTY, Texas - A Hunt County man was sentenced to 70 years in prison after a jury convicted him of manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance following a joint narcotics investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
Melvin James Pannell of Greenville, TX, was found guilty in July 2026 after a two-day trial in Hunt County. Jurors deliberated for approximately eight minutes before returning a guilty verdict on the charge of Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard additional evidence before sentencing Pannell to 70 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The conviction stemmed from a two-month investigation conducted in 2025 by investigators with the Hunt County Sheriff's Office and the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office.
According to investigators, authorities received information that Pannell was distributing crack cocaine from his residence in the 400 block of Jones Circle in Commerce.
On June 13, 2025, law enforcement officers executed multiple search warrants simultaneously in Commerce. The Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs SWAT Team assisted Hunt County investigators by securing Pannell's residence, while the Commerce Police Department also provided assistance during the operation.
A search of the residence led to the discovery of what investigators described as a significant quantity of crack cocaine.
Pannell was arrested at the scene and charged with Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance.
The case was investigated by the Hunt County Sheriff's Office and the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs SWAT Team and the Commerce Police Department.
