Copperas Cove police arrest one man for terroristic threats, another for having 15 pounds of marijuana

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press 

A Copperas Cove man was arrested on Saturday after a dating relationship went sour. 

Michael Richard Cathey, 52, was brought in by Copperas Cove police on Jan. 30 after a woman called police on Jan. 12, in reference to multiple threats made to her on her cell phone. The woman said he was going to kill her. 

According to the arrest affidavit, the female victim shared text messages and voice messages from him that read “your dead (b****)” and “cove pd didnt do (sh**) your dead”, and more. 

Officers had seen Cathey prior to the incident and he had a sleeved hatchet and knife on him. 

However, they canvassed the neighborhood at that time and were unable to locate him until his arrest on Saturday. 

He remains in the Coryell County Jail on a $10,000 bond. 

A 20-year-old man was arrested last Monday for possession of marijuana – 15.29 pounds of it. 

In November 2020, an investigation began with agents of the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, Copperas Cove police, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, involving the investigation of importing narcotics from Riverside, California to Copperas Cove. 

According to the arrest affidavit, the investigation began after a review of Priority Mail Express parcels that were sent to a residence in the 100 block of Letzke Circle. 

The review was part of a program established by the USPS’ Inspection Service to combat the flow of controlled substances, drug proceeds, and contraband through the system. 

An inspector with the USPIS obtained a warrant for this particular parcel, addressed to a residence in the 100 block of Letzke Circle, sent from an address in Riverside, California. 

Inside the parcel was a plywood box, which contained approximately 15 pounds of high-grade marijuana. After inspecting the parcel, it was then repacked and sent on to its destination, with an expected delivery date of Dec. 10.

Copperas Cove police then prepared a search warrant based on the USPIS findings as well as observations made while Bell County investigators surveilled the Letzke Circle residence. 

Upon delivery of the parcel on Dec. 10, it was accepted by a male later identified as Ronte Osyrus Ross. Then officers executed the warrant and read Ross his rights.

Ross brought officers to the backyard, where officers saw the box and torn packaging. Ross admitted that he’d tried to open the box, and admitted he was going to steal the box and say it never arrived. Ross claimed not to have any direct involvement in the shipping process, and would not implicate anyone else, nor say how exactly he knew what was in the box. 

The box was later confirmed as containing 13 sealed packages of marijuana with an approximate total weight of 244.68 ounces, or 15.29 pounds with package. 

Ross is in the Coryell County Jail on $41,000 bond.