DALLAS (AP) — The FBI is investigating a Texas sheriff who confronted court cases of corruption from his personal deputies for years prior to drawing broader scrutiny for his company’s reaction to a mass taking pictures, in keeping with a woman interviewed by federal agents.
The woman stated she’s two times met with a pair of FBI agents in fresh months after contacting them about what she feels was once the sheriff’s botched investigation of her brother’s killing. Jenifer Jones informed The Associated Press the agents accumulated information accusing San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers and his workforce of wide-ranging misconduct and informed her they have been on the lookout for possible civil rights violations. During hourslong interviews, Jones stated they requested particular questions on instances and occasions way past her brother’s loss of life.
Federal investigators’ passion within the rural sheriff comes after an AP investigation discovered longstanding accusations that Capers has neglected deputies’ misconduct and left out fundamental police paintings whilst pursuing asset seizures that spice up his place of business’s $3.5 million funds however don’t at all times hang up in court docket.
It’s unclear how a long way alongside the FBI investigation is or when it could be concluded. Many federal investigations by no means lead to felony fees. An FBI spokesperson stated the company neither confirms nor denies investigations.
Capers did indirectly reply to calls in quest of remark, however his second-in-command stated they haven’t heard from agents and that their place of business is at all times open to outdoor scrutiny.
“I look forward to the visit, if they’ll show up here and ask the other half of the story,” Chief Deputy Tim Kean stated.
The probe follows years of court cases by the sheriff’s workforce to state and federal legislation enforcement. Capers won prominence in May whilst main the dayslong seek for a guy who fatally shot 5 neighbors within the county, which is an hour’s power from Houston. But he additionally drew complaint for to begin with offering misguided information about deputies’ reaction time and from some citizens who stated they felt left out by or even worry the sheriff.
The time agents spent with Jones presentations they have got “a great deal of interest in information she’s providing,” stated Michelle Lee, a retired FBI agent in Texas. She famous that’s a robust indicator of an open investigation, however warned that such probes can cross on under-the-radar for years.
Jones, 47, stated she reached out to the FBI over the summer time, hoping the scrutiny of Capers following the taking pictures would make it more uncomplicated for her to attract consideration to the sheriff’s investigation into her brother’s loss of life.
Jones’ brother, John Wayne Dodge, was once fatally shot in 2020 and sheriff’s deputies arrested his son for homicide. But in 2022 prosecutors dropped the case “in the interest of justice,” court docket information display. Jones believes some other guy is accountable for her brother’s loss of life and was once by no means adequately investigated.
San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon stated information about that guy was once additionally offered to a grand jury in 2020. Dillon stated that he couldn’t touch upon some other company’s investigation, however that when taking place of business remaining 12 months he concluded there wasn’t “sufficient evidence or cause to proceed” with the case towards Dodge’s son.
In September, Jones stated she met with two FBI agents from Bryan, Texas. During the interview, she stated they indicated there is probably not a lot they may do about Dodge’s case however requested for her lend a hand connecting them with individuals who could have been wronged by the sheriff.
Jones stated she additionally gave the agents a reproduction of a police marketing consultant’s file that compares the sheriff’s place of business to arranged crime. The county leaders who paid just about $50,000 for the file remaining 12 months pushed aside its advice to invite the Texas Rangers’ public corruption squad to research Capers.
Agents would imagine it a “red flag” that officers neglected the belief of a file they paid for, Lee stated.
Jones equipped the names and respectable e-mail addresses of the agents she met with. A legislation enforcement respectable showed agents with the ones names paintings for the FBI in Bryan. The individual spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to speak to the media.
Jones stated she met with them once more in October, offering extra information and make contact with information for different individuals who have been concerned about speaking concerning the sheriff. She recalled one agent telling her they have been on the lookout for instances by which other people’s rights have been violated.
Jones stated she desires county citizens to understand there is an out of doors authority they may be able to flip to with court cases concerning the sheriff.
“I feel like the victims of this county have nowhere else to go,” she stated.
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