GILLESPIE COUNTY, TEXAS — The Gillespie County Sheriff's Office arrested FedEx delivery driver Kenneth Ray Hicks III on May 6 in Gillespie County, Texas, on charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. Deputies took Hicks into custody while he was making a delivery, following a two-month narcotics investigation.

In March, the sheriff's office narcotics division developed information that Hicks was selling drugs out of his FedEx truck while delivering packages in the Fredericksburg and Gillespie County area. The investigation began after a community member informed law enforcement about alleged activity by Hicks.

"We were notified that there was an individual that worked for FedEx that was selling narcotics while doing his actual route as a FedEx delivery person," Gillespie County Sheriff Christopher Ayala said. "The biggest one is he was selling cocaine on a regular basis to people in Gillespie County."

During the investigation, narcotics investigators purchased cocaine, crystal MDMA and THC pens from Hicks on four separate occasions. On May 6, the sheriff's office narcotics team and Texas Department of Public Safety special agents carried out a warrant service on Hicks while he was delivering a package in the area of West Trailmoor Drive.

Authorities noticed cocaine and a THC vape on the dashboard of the delivery truck in plain view. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, two additional THC vapes were located in Hicks' lunch bag, and a third THC vape was found in the front pocket of the FedEx shirt he was wearing.

Hicks was arrested on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and faces four charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. The approximate weight of the cocaine was 25.85 grams. The vape boxes indicated that each device contained two grams of THC concentrate, and tests revealed THC content above the legal limit of 0.3%.

"He was totally caught off guard when they made the arrest," Ayala said. "The ultimate goal is to say that we're doing our best as the Gillespie County Sheriff's Office to eliminate narcotics being sold in Gillespie County."