In an incident that occurred on October 5, 2023, at 9:15 pm, a Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a routine traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 19 and CR 4763. The vehicle was pulled over due to an obstructed license plate and for failing to stop at a designated stopping point.
Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy noticed the occupants, identified as 31-year-old William Bilharz from Paris, Texas, and 32-year-old Jessica Bender from Sulphur Springs, Texas, displaying signs of nervousness and excessive sweating. The deputy, suspecting illicit activity, requested and was granted consent from the driver to search the vehicle.
During the search, law enforcement discovered a hypodermic syringe, a marijuana pipe, and a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana. Both Bilharz and Bender were taken into custody without incident and transported to Hopkins County Jail.
Bilharz was booked into the Hopkins County Jail on the charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, while Bender faces the same charge, as stated by the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office.
