Fort Bend County Judge Kyle Prasad (KP) George was indicted Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresenting his identity during the 2022 elections, when George faced a challenge from Republican Trever Nehls.

George is accused of using a fake Facebook account called Antonio Scalywag to harm Nehls’ campaign and sway the election his way. Investigators earlier this month accused George’s former chief of staff and Precinct 3 commissioner candidate, Taral Patel, of creating the account and three others. Investigators say Patel used the Antonio Scalwag account to make it seem as if he was on the receiving end of racist and xenophobic messages.

Patel, who faces four felony charges of online impersonation in addition to four misdemeanor charges in connection with his alleged online activity, has so far ignored calls to end his campaign for commissioner. His name will remain on the November ballot as the deadline to withdraw has passed.

The indictment against Fort Bend County’s chief executive comes after the Texas Rangers earlier this month seized George’s cell phones after determining that he had, on at least two occasions, directed or helped Patel misrepresent Patel’s identity.

According to a search warrant filed last week in the 434th District Court, Patel had full access to George’s social media accounts as chief of staff. In the search warrant, Texas Ranger Louis Caltzontzint said both Patel and George published similar posts in which they decried racist and xenophobic messages that had ostensibly been directed at them. While Patel and George had both redacted the usernames of those who had authored the posts, Caltzontzint was able to determine that several had been authored by Antonio Scalywag.

Caltzontzint also scrutinized phone records between the two men, finding that Patel had sought George’s permission before posting the collages of the alleged online attacks. “Let me know if you approve, I’ll share this post,” one text read.

The texts appear to indicate that George was fully aware that Patel was using fake accounts. In June 2022, George thanked Patel after Patel told him he’d use fake accounts to counter critics.

In a statement issued late on Thursday, George said he was disappointed in the charges and he has no intention of stepping down from his chief executive post.

“My office and staff will continue working tirelessly on behalf of our residents, ensuring that the County’s business moves forward without interruption,” George said. “I look forward to clearing my name and continuing the important work entrusted to me by the voters.”

George was booked into the Fort Bend County Jail on Thursday and released the same day on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond, which doesn’t require posting bail. As part of his release conditions, George was required to forfeit his passport. A court date has not been set in the case. 

George faced a similar bout of racist and xenophobic online attacks in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is unclear what involvement, if any, he or Patel had in them.

George was the first person of color to be elected Fort Bend County Judge in 2018. He narrowly won reelection against Nehls in 2022 with 51 percent of the vote.

Nehls, the twin brother of U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, called for George to resign on Thursday and said the judge’s alleged actions amounted to an attack on all Fort Bend County voters. 

“To weaponize racism in a county as diverse as ours is appalling and speaks to gross misuse of power and trust,” Nehls said. “As a public servant and a lifelong member of this community, I know firsthand the strength that comes from our diversity, and we should be celebrating it, not exploiting it for political gain.”

If convicted of the Class A misdemeanor, George could face up to one year in jail and be fined up to $4,000.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers, whose complaints about the social media messages spurred the Texas Rangers investigation, said in a statement that “seeking to create division for personal gain is reprehensible.”

“We must stand together against these tactics and reaffirm our commitment to unity and inclusivity,” he added.

In a statement, Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy said he shares residents’ concerns about the allegations against George. 

“Holding positions of public trust mandate that we hold ourselves to a higher standard, and today’s grand jury indictment demonstrates a clear breach of that standard,” McCoy said. 

Update, Sept. 27, 1:59 p.m. : This story has been updated to include a comment from Trever Nehls.

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