Terence Tambe’s April arrest did not involve a new drug charge. Prosecutors sought to revoke the community supervision imposed after his 2021 guilty plea.

LUBBOCK, Texas — Terence Eteng Tambe, the founder of the popular Lubbock-based social media platform The806er, was arrested April 21 on a warrant connected to alleged violations of his probation in a case dating to 2017.

Tambe, 38, was taken into custody in the 4300 block of 50th Street and initially held without bond at the Lubbock County Detention Center.

The arrest was not based on a new drug charge. It followed a December 2025 motion in which prosecutors asked a judge to revoke the community supervision Tambe received after pleading guilty in the earlier case.

Court records cited by Lubbock Lights alleged that Tambe tested positive for THC, failed to attend a required drug-treatment program, missed meetings with his community-supervision officer and fell behind on supervision fees.

A motion to revoke probation contains allegations that must be decided by a judge. Filing the motion—and arresting a person on the resulting warrant—does not by itself establish that every claimed violation occurred.

Case originated with 2017 investigation

Tambe’s legal case began during an undercover Lubbock police investigation in March and April 2017.

According to a police report described in court coverage, an investigator arranged a controlled cocaine purchase involving Tambe before officers served warrants in the 3000 block of Fourth Street. The report said a confidential informant purchased cocaine from Tambe on March 24, 2017, and that an investigator later observed him meeting another person who was subsequently arrested.

Tambe was charged with organized criminal activity. The case remained pending for several years before he entered a guilty plea in 2021.

The court imposed a 10-year prison sentence but suspended it while placing Tambe on community supervision for 10 years. A suspended sentence allows a defendant to remain outside prison if he complies with the conditions imposed by the court.

If a judge later determines that those conditions were violated, the court can modify the probation requirements, continue supervision or revoke probation and impose all or part of the suspended sentence. The April arrest alone did not determine which of those outcomes would apply.

Earlier revocation effort ended with amended terms

Prosecutors first applied to revoke Tambe’s probation in September 2022.

That effort did not result in the immediate execution of the suspended prison sentence. Instead, prosecutors and the defense reached an agreement under which Tambe’s probation conditions were amended and he was released.

A second revocation motion was filed in December 2025. That document alleged several categories of noncompliance.

Prosecutors claimed Tambe had positive urine tests for THC and failed to report for a required drug-treatment program. The motion also alleged that he missed at least 14 scheduled monthly meetings with his community-supervision officer.

Court records further alleged that Tambe owed $1,521 in supervision fees as of the month covered by the filing.

Those claims formed the basis for the warrant leading to his April arrest. Tambe acknowledged the arrest in a message posted to his personal Facebook account.

“I apologize for letting y’all down, probation violation, be back soon,” he wrote.

His supporters responded with messages of encouragement and prayer. At the time of the initial report, attorneys listed for Tambe had not provided a public response to the allegations.

Tambe later returned to operating The806er

By July, Tambe was no longer in custody and had returned to publicly operating The806er. He gave an interview about the platform after Facebook temporarily removed its page, showing that he had been released after the April arrest.

Publicly accessible reporting reviewed for this article did not specify whether the revocation motion was dismissed, remained pending or was resolved through another modification of his probation terms. His release should therefore not be interpreted as proof that a court either sustained or rejected all the allegations.

In a July interview about The806er’s temporary Facebook suspension, Tambe discussed the 2017 arrest and confirmed that he accepted a deal involving 10 years of probation.

He said the case changed how he viewed his life and the need to operate within legal rules. He declined to discuss the underlying incident in detail.

The806er built a large local audience

The806er began primarily as a platform for promoting music and West Texas artists. It later expanded into community news, commentary, videos, memes, event announcements and posts submitted by local residents.

At the time of Tambe’s arrest, the rebuilt Facebook page had more than 40,000 followers. By July, it had grown to more than 54,000 likes. The platform has claimed that its content receives more than 1 million views per day, although that figure has not been independently verified.

Tambe has interviewed candidates and public officials, shared videos of local incidents and published complaints submitted by residents. Some followers view the platform as an outlet for community members who feel ignored by traditional media. Critics have questioned its verification practices and publication of one-sided allegations.

The platform now describes itself on The806er website as a West Texas news, entertainment and culture hub.

Tambe’s prominent online role explains the public attention surrounding the April arrest, but it does not change the legal question before the court: whether prosecutors can prove that he violated the terms of the community supervision imposed in the 2017 case.