Advocate Quanell X Joins Teague Public Housing Eviction Case
TEAGUE, Texas — Community activist Quanell X is advocating for Sylvester Bethany, a Freestone County public housing resident facing eviction following his arrest on an outstanding Navarro County warrant.
Teague police officers went to Bethany’s apartment at the Teague Housing Authority on July 23, 2026, to execute a warrant reportedly related to unpaid tickets or bond forfeiture.
Bethany alleges that one of the responding officers had encountered him several weeks earlier while he was suffering from heat-related distress. He also claims that the officer communicated by telephone with Teague Housing Authority Executive Director Julie Dawson during much of the arrest. According to Bethany, he heard Dawson ask what officers had found inside the apartment.
Bethany said an officer subsequently returned to the apartment to retrieve his keys. Although Bethany maintains that the keys were near the entrance, he said the officer remained inside for several minutes.
A small amount of marijuana was allegedly discovered in the apartment. Bethany said an officer told him police were there only to execute the warrant and would not pursue the marijuana matter. He was not charged with marijuana possession that night.
After the arrest, Dawson contacted Bethany’s mother, Cathy Hamilton, and asked her to remove his belongings within approximately 10 days, according to the family. The request was described as a way to avoid a formal eviction proceeding. Hamilton declined, saying her son had not authorized her to surrender his apartment.
Hamilton then requested the evidence, police information, lease provisions and Housing Authority policies supporting the proposed eviction. The Teague Housing Authority issued Bethany a formal notice of termination on July 28 and filed an eviction case the following day.
The eviction petition alleges that Bethany violated the Housing Authority’s Criminal Activity Policy and Drug-Free Housing Policy. Dawson later said the Housing Authority received written information from the Teague Police Department alleging that marijuana was smelled and observed inside the apartment.
In subsequent communications, Dawson referred to “multiple reasons” supporting the eviction, including a 2024 possession matter, federal housing policies and what she described as the Police Department’s expectation that the Housing Authority follow the law.
The claims underlying the eviction have not yet been decided by the court. It also remains unclear when the written police information was prepared and provided to the Housing Authority.
Bethany has documented reading and comprehension limitations. In a previous legal matter, his court-appointed attorney reported that Bethany could not read, had difficulty understanding instructions and needed an evaluation. Dawson has also acknowledged in writing that Bethany has difficulty understanding complicated situations.
Bethany alleges that Housing Authority officials have not explained the eviction allegations, supporting evidence or court process to him in a way he can understand. He has relied heavily on his mother to help him navigate the case.
Quanell X has now taken up Bethany’s case and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the arrest and eviction proceedings. He has obtained a police report that reportedly confirms an officer communicated with Dawson during the arrest.
The investigation is focused on obtaining police body-camera footage, determining what information was exchanged between police and Housing Authority officials, establishing when the written police account was created and received, and assessing whether Bethany’s housing and disability-related rights were adequately protected.
Lone Star Legal Aid has completed an urgent intake concerning the matter. Bethany’s eviction hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20, 2026.