Local Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Million-Dollar Theft Ring; Over $220,000 in Restitution Paid to Victims
On July 10, 2025, Everett Van Jennings, 36, of Sulphur Springs, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony Theft of Property and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Jennings was ordered to pay $222,169.98 in restitution and a $2,500 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Jennings tendered the full amount of restitution in cashier’s checks payable to each victim at the time of the plea, ensuring all victims were made whole.
Jennings orchestrated a million-dollar theft operation, trafficking over $1,000,000 in stolen property, including luxury vehicles such as Lamborghinis and Corvettes, boats, heavy machinery, and trailers. Law enforcement first identified Jennings when a stolen 2021 Lamborghini Urus was tracked to his residence in Hopkins County.
The investigation revealed Jennings used fraudulent Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) to evade detection and even stole and utilized the identity of Aaron Crum, a former tenant currently serving a life sentence for murder. Jennings sold stolen items under Crum’s name and created a fake Facebook page to further facilitate the criminal activity.
Jennings, a semi well-known local entrepreneur, demonstrated his arrogance and criminal nature by publicly accusing Hopkins County law enforcement of misconduct, attempting to deceive the public of the truth. He also evaded law enforcement by fleeing on foot when officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant at his parents’ residence, resulting in an extensive manhunt. Jennings went so far as to open a burner phone account in Aaron Crum’s name to send text messages to the sheriff, falsely warning that continued investigation into Everett would result in negative publicity for the sheriff’s reelection campaign, while promising positive coverage if the investigation ceased due to Everett’s alleged ownership of a popular local news page on Facebook.
Due to the prison sentence and restitution being paid for all cases in the theft case, all of the remaining charges against Jennings were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
The successful prosecution resulted from extensive investigative efforts by the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office. Special recognition is given to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Investigator Todd Evans, who works with the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force, for the many hours of thorough detective work he poured into this complex case.
This sentence sends a clear message that the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding offenders accountable, protecting our community from theft, and ensuring justice and restitution for victims.
Quote from District Attorney Will Ramsay: “Jennings’s arrogance and public ridicule of Hopkins County law enforcement was an aggravating factor in this case. While we believe a Hopkins County jury would have given Mr. Jennings a heavier prison sentence, being able to immediately secure prison time and almost a quarter million dollars in much needed restitution for victims was an outcome we wanted. Thanks to the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant District Attorney Zach Blackmon for rolling up their sleeves and spending many hours to see that justice was done.”
