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Kelly Helleson will no doubt think twice before performing any roadside cavity searches on evidently law-abiding citizens. In January, the Texas Department of Public Safety fired the state trooper for her unusually thorough probe of two Irving women, a decision that severely limited her opportunities to conduct such searches.
Now, the 33-year-old faces criminal charges. CBS 11’s Jack Fink broke the news on Friday that a Dallas County grand jury decided to indict Helleson for her search of Angel Dobbs and her niece Ashley on the side of the Bush Turnpike last July.
Sure enough, Dallas County records show that Helleson faces two counts of sexual assault, one for each Dobbs, and two counts of official oppression. For the former, Helleson faces at least four and as many as 40 years in prison, if convicted. Each of the latter charges carries a maximum year in jail and $4,000 fine.
Almost, but not quite, escaping censure is Trooper David Farrell, who pulled the Dobbs women over that July night and radioed for Helleson after developing a suspicion that they were carrying drugs. He’s hung onto his job and faces no jail time for his actions, but he is charged with misdemeanor theft for allegedly seizing a prescription bottle of hydrocodone during a search of the car.
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