Bond revoked for former employee accused of stealing $400K from Texarkana business
TEXARKANA, Texas — One of two former Orr Marine employees accused of embezzling more than $400,000 from the company over a period of years is back behind bars after drug tests showed she had violated the conditions of her pretrial release by using drugs and alcohol.
Loren Bailey Jones, 34, was re-arrested Thursday, Bowie County jail records show. Last week, the county’s pretrial services officials asked 202nd District Judge John Tidwell to revoke Jones’ $75,000 bond, and a warrant was issued for her arrest the same day.
Jones submitted to a test on July 8 that came back positive for marijuana and amphetamine. Jones allegedly admitted that she had used marijuana and taken Adderall, an amphetamine and stimulant, without a valid prescription.
“The defendant was reminded that drug and alcohol use is a violation of her bond and any future violations could result in her bond being surrendered,” a court filing from pretrial services officials states.
On Sept. 18, Jones allegedly provided a urine sample that tested positive for alcohol. Jones allegedly admitted on Sept. 21 that she had consumed alcohol on Sept. 17, according to court records.
Article continues below
▼ Continue reading
Jones could be held without bond until her case is resolved through a plea agreement or trial. A trial date has not been scheduled in her case or in the case of her co-defendant, Jay Michael Freeman, 43.
Years-long scheme alleged
Jones and Freeman were first arrested in March on charges of first-degree felony theft of property greater than $300,000. In August, a Bowie County grand jury formally indicted them both.
The alleged scheme began to unravel in July 2025, when it was discovered that Freeman, Orr Marine’s general manager, had been overpaid $40,000 in bonuses, according to a probable cause affidavit. The company at first believed the overpayment was the result of a “clerical error” by Jones, the store’s controller, the affidavit said.
Freeman was allowed to pay back the overpayment over a period of months, but the situation triggered a sweeping internal investigation of the store’s accounting. That investigation revealed that Freeman and Jones had been working together to allegedly steal from their employer going back as far as 2020, the affidavit said.
Jones was fired Aug. 15, 2025, the same day Freeman resigned, reportedly telling Orr Marine that he had found other employment, the affidavit said. Jones had worked for the company since August 2019, and Freeman had been an employee there since March 2015.
In September 2025, company management went to police and asked that a criminal investigation be opened, the affidavit said. In all, police identified 15 episodes of theft allegedly orchestrated by Freeman and Jones that cost the business $403,575, the affidavit said.
The thefts included altering business records to conceal the removal of property from inventory that was either used or sold for the personal benefit of Freeman and Jones.
Over the years, Jones allegedly helped divert more than $300,000 of Orr Marine money to Freeman through 201 different checks from Jan. 24, 2020, through Aug. 15, 2025, their last day of employment.
Jones and Freeman face five to 99 years or life in prison if convicted. Freeman remains free on a $75,000 bond.
Freeman is represented by Texarkana lawyer John Pickett, and Jones is represented by Texarkana lawyer Jason Horton.
Both are scheduled for pretrial hearings before Tidwell next month.