Woman linked to NBA star now jailed in Jefferson County

 A woman linked to Dallas Mavericks basketball player Dirk Nowitzki is behind bars Wednesday in Jefferson County on a charge of receiving $10,000 worth of dental work in Beaumont and not paying for it.

Crystal Taylor, 37, was flown from Dallas County to Jefferson County and then driven to the Jefferson County Jail where she arrived at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

KTVT reports a friend of Crystal Taylor says Taylor told her she's engaged to Nowitzki. 

According to KTVT television in Dallas, Nowitzki hired a private investigator to check on Taylor's background and the investigator found she was using an alias.  Dallas police were informed and learned there are warrants for Taylor's arrest in Jefferson County for theft of services and in Missouri for a probation violation.  A prosecutor in Missouri says in 1991 Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery and two counts of felony stealing.   

A 2006 indictment in Jefferson County alleges Taylor didn't pay for dental services ranging from $1,500 to $20,000.  Authorities say Taylor's bond was raised from $20,000 to $50,000 at the request of Jefferson County officials. They said there is no record of an attorney for Taylor.

Beamont dentist Joel Lane Smith told KFDM News he performed about $10,000 of dental work on Taylor in 2004 but says she used a credit card in someone else's name and payment was stopped because the person said she wasn't authorized to use the card.

Watch KFDM News at 5,6 and 10 for the latest on the story.

Earlier story

A Beaumont police officer tells KFDM News the arrest of a woman linked to Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is a breakthrough in a four year investigation into allegations she owes a Beaumont dentist $10,000 for dental work received and still unpaid.

Dallas television station KTVT says according to a friend of Crystal Taylor, 37, she is engaged to Nowitzki.  The station reports Nowitzki hired a private investigator to check on Taylor's background and the investigator found she was using an alias.

Ofc. Randy Stevens with the Beaumont Police Department tells KFDM News there is a theft of service warrant for Taylor in Jefferson County. There is also a warrant for her arrest for a probation violation in Missouri.

Thursday morning Ofc. Stevens told KFDM News he began investigating a case in Beaumont in 2004 in which Taylor is accused of receiving about $10,000 in dental work from Dr. Joel Lane Smith in Beaumont. He says she used a credit card in someone else's name to pay for the work and the payment was stopped because the person said she wasn't authorized to use the card. 

Ofc. Stevens says she had been working as a waitress at an adult entertainment club.  He says it was difficult to confirm her identity because she used a number of aliases. He was finally able to confirm her name but investigators couldn't locate her. 

"I had almost forgotten about the case," Ofc. Stevens told KFDM. "I turned on the television this morning and saw her picture and learned of the arrest. I called everyone, including Dr. Smith."

Dr. Smith told KFDM News he's elated at the arrest and praised Ofc. Stevens' work on the case.

Theft of service is a State Jail Felony. Taylor could face up to two years in jail. Bond has been set at $20,000.

 KFDM News interviewed Ofc. Stevens and Dr. Smith this morning.

Watch KFDM News at 6 & 10 for more on the story.