Katy couple charged with conspiracy to commit felony in Mississippi

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 1/30/23

A Katy couple is free on $20,000 bond apiece following their arrests and charges of conspiracy to commit a felony in Mississippi.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Katy couple charged with conspiracy to commit felony in Mississippi

Posted

A Katy couple is free on $20,000 bond apiece following their arrests and charges of conspiracy to commit a felony in Mississippi.

Angela McClelland, of Katy, was arrested Jan. 18 in Fort Bend County. She was released on Jan. 20 on fugitive bond so she could travel to Mississippi to appear in a Ridgeland, Miss., municipal court.

When McClelland arrived Jan. 23 at court, authorities told her that her husband, Colburn McClelland, would also be charged. Both pled not guilty and were arraigned.

“They’ve been arrested, they’ve been bonded out,” Boty McDonald, Ridgeland Municipal Court prosecutor, said in an interview with the Katy Times. “In Mississippi, when you’re arrested in a city, the felony comes through my court (a city court) for a bond to be done and an arraignment to be done.”

Now, McDonald said, their case will be given to the Madison County, Miss., district attorney, for presentation to a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict.

The case involves an alleged kidnapping by two men: Jerrell Powe, a former Ole Miss and NFL player from Hattiesburg, Miss., and Gavin Bates, of Rosemont, Calif. They were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and kidnapping Bryce Mathis. Reportedly, Powe and Bates were among some investors with Mathis, who reportedly was fronting a multi-million medical marijuana growing plant near Powe’s hometown of Buckatunna, Miss.

Reportedly, Powe and Bates were trying to collect money Mathis owed them and took him to a Chase bank in Ridgeland where he supposedly had the money. But it wasn’t enough money, and police arrested Powe and Bates for taking Mathis to the bank against his will.

“The fact that someone may owe you money does not allow you to collect your debt,” McDonald told the Mississippi Daily. “When this becomes a Netflix series, it’s going to be Apple Dumpling Gang meets The Sopranos.”

Powe and Bates posted bonds of $100,000 apiece, according to local reports.

Details of the McClellands’ alleged involvement in the case have not been made public. McDonald said he guessed the case would be presented to the grand jury within the next two to four months because electronic data, including mobile phone and text messages, remained under review.

“We’ve got a lot of electronic data,” McDonald said, adding that the car used in the kidnapping attempt was a Tesla, which has a GPS camera and other electronic data to be reviewed.

If indicted, tried and convicted, the McClellands would face a maximum five years in Mississippi state prison and a $5,000 fine.

The McClellands are known locally as the former owners and operators of Willy Burger, 6191 Highway Blvd. Their son Bronson is a former Katy High School quarterback.

With additional reporting by William Moore, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

conspiracy to commit felony, kidnapping, Mississippi