Dallas, TX
Retired Dallas officer fights to keep daughter out of Panama prison after gun found in luggage
A retired Dallas police officer is using his old investigative skills in a desperate effort to keep his daughter from spending more than a decade in a foreign prison.
Paul Inman, who spent 28 years with the Dallas Police Department working as a gang‑unit detective, now lives in Argyle. Three years into retirement, he has found himself investigating a case thousands of miles away in Panama, where his daughter is facing a minimum 12‑year sentence.
The 56‑year‑old says he is racing to keep his daughter, Sabrina Underwood, from spending years behind bars.
A holiday trip turns into a criminal case
Underwood, a 34‑year‑old mother of three from San Antonio, traveled to Panama over the holidays to visit a family friend. Authorities at the airport found a loaded gun in her checked luggage, and she is now facing a smuggling charge that carries a mandatory 12‑year sentence if convicted.
“I thought that life was over, now I’m doing everything I can to defend this situation for my daughter,” Inman said.
Inman says the gun belonged to Underwood’s husband, a military service member and gun enthusiast.
“The handgun belonged to her husband, he is an avid gun person, and he’s in the military, and she was completely shocked,” he said.
Trying to prove it was an accident
Inman has been trying to convince Panamanian prosecutors that his daughter had no idea the gun was in her bag.
“The gun was on the outside bag, not in her clothing, not concealed, not in the zipper of the outside bag. Those are the things we have to show to them that say, ‘Hey, look, if she’s smuggling, wouldn’t she have concealed something in the bag, not on the outside?’” Inman said.
Underwood spent 23 days in a Panama prison before being moved to house arrest. Prosecutors have offered a plea deal that would still require her to serve 12 years.
“If she does 12 years, that would be devastating for the family, devastating. I don’t think emotionally she can make it,” Inman said.
Her three children, ages 14, 11, and 8, would be adults by the time she is released.
A one‑man mission for help
Inman says he has struggled to get help from the federal government, leaving him largely on his own as he tries to gather evidence and advocate for leniency.
“She makes a friend wherever she goes. If she goes to a party, everyone’s gonna know cause she’s loud, she’s fun, she’s a fun person,” he said. “It’s just a sad mistake, but it could cost her dearly, and that’s what I’m fearful of.”
Questions about U.S. airport security
The case also raises questions about how the loaded gun passed through security screenings at airports in Nashville and Houston before being discovered in Panama.
DALLAS – Slow-moving thunderstorms brought localized flash flooding to parts of North Texas on Tuesday evening, blocking highways near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and dropping several inches of rain in portions of Tarrant and Parker counties.
Flash Flood Warnings
Local perspective:
Flash flood warnings are in effect for Hopkins, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt counties until 7:45 p.m.
Flooding was reported along Texas 183 near Valley View Lane south of DFW Airport, where stranded vehicles and water-covered roadways created hazardous travel conditions.
A flash flood warning remained in effect near the airport, although rainfall rates had begun to diminish as the storm weakened.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
The National Weather Service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Hood County, citing the potential for gusty winds and small hail. Forecasters reported hail ranging from pea-sized to marble-sized in parts of Hood, Parker and Denton counties.
Forecasters attributed the weakening storms in Denton County to an outflow boundary, a meteorological feature that can disrupt thunderstorm development.
The warning area was reduced as the storm weakened near sunset.
LIVE RADAR
What they’re saying:
FOX 4’s Kylie Capps said the storms moved unusually slowly from east to west, allowing heavy rain to accumulate over the same areas for several hours.
Rainfall estimates showed some locations in eastern Parker County and western Tarrant County received nearly 5 inches of rain during a six-hour period, while areas near DFW Airport recorded more than 2 inches.
Elsewhere in North Texas, northern Rains County received nearly 5 inches of rain.
7-Day Forecast
What’s next:
Forecasters expect a quieter overnight period, with only isolated showers lingering into the evening. Additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon, though coverage and the threat of severe weather are expected to remain limited.
Temperatures are forecast to reach about 90 degrees Wednesday.
Rain chances are expected to continue through the remainder of the workweek and into the weekend as an upper-level low-pressure system sends multiple disturbances across North Texas.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Weather Team
Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.
Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.
Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026
The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.
While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.
Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes
Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.
Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.
Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.
— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
San Francisco, CA7 minutes agoWhat’s Worth More Than Cash in San Francisco Real Estate? Anthropic Stock
-
Dallas, TX12 minutes agoDallas weighs $500 million‑plus repair plans as City Hall’s future comes up for debate
-
Miami, FL19 minutes agoMiami biotech executive was followed into his condo by man who allegedly threw him from 25th floor
-
Boston, MA22 minutes agoWhat a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026
-
Denver, CO27 minutes agoDefensive lineman Jordan Miller has a tough battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster
-
Seattle, WA34 minutes agoVIDEO: Mayor Wilson proposes renewing, expanding Seattle Transit Measure by doubling the sales-tax percentage that funds it.
-
San Diego, CA37 minutes agoMorning Report: Runoffs Largely Set
-
Milwaukee, WI42 minutes agoMPS staffer who got plea deal in slapping case had earlier incident
