On March 1, 2015, Denison Police were called to a home on College Boulevard in Denison at approximately 2:25 am when a 33 year old woman called 911 to say that she had locked herself in the bathroom at the home because Hartman, her boyfriend, had assaulted her and was trying to break into the bathroom. When police arrived they found the woman in the bathroom and another woman, age 51, in the living room. Both of the women had injuries consistent with being assaulted. Hartman was in the house but ran from police and was caught as short distance from the home.
Denison narcotics officers responded to the house due to Hartman’s lengthy history. Upon being questioned by officers, Hartman’s girlfriend told officer that he kept drugs in a lock box in his room. Upon searching the lock box, officers found over 4 grams of methamphetamine. In Hartman’s pockets officers found a key to the lock box and over $4,000 in cash.
“This is a guy with a long criminal history – more than 20 arrests and he had been to prison before for Burglary and multiple drug offenses,” said Grayson County District Attorney Joe Brown. “He was a drug dealer who had been a problem for the Denison police for a long time.”
The penalty range for Hartman’s case was increased based on his prior convictions. Hartman faced a minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. The Denison Police Department seized the money found on Hartman and, as part of the plea, the funds were awarded to the department as proceeds of a felony drug transaction.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Britton Brooks. Hartman was represented by Dallas attorney Jason Niehaus.
