ARCOLA, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Arcola Mayor Fred Burton is facing five felony charges after a Fort Bend County grand jury returned indictments alleging illegal voting and misconduct related to his duties as mayor.
Covering Katy obtained additional details about the case Thursday from the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office, which confirmed the charges and the bond amounts set for each offense.
According to the District Attorney's Office, Burton has been indicted on:
- Two counts of Illegal Voting, both second-degree felonies.
- One count of Misuse of Official Information, a third-degree felony.
- One count of Fraudulently Securing the Execution of a Document by Deception, a third-degree felony.
- One count of Tampering with a Governmental Record, a state jail felony.
The District Attorney's Office said bond was set at $25,000 for each illegal voting charge, $20,000 for each of the third-degree felony charges, and $15,000 for the state jail felony, for a total bond of $105,000.
Prosecutors allege the two illegal voting charges stem from the June 7, 2025, Arcola municipal runoff election and the April 23, 2026, municipal election.
The remaining three charges relate to Burton's conduct while serving as mayor in 2023. According to prosecutors, the allegations involve the misuse of confidential official information, fraudulently securing the execution of a document by deception and tampering with a governmental record.
Under Texas law, a second-degree felony carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison, while a third-degree felony is punishable by two to 10 years in prison. A state jail felony carries a punishment ranging from 180 days to two years in a state jail facility.
Covering Katy has requested copies of the indictments and additional records to learn more about the allegations underlying the charges. The publication has also reached out to Burton for comment and will update this story if a response is received.
An indictment is a formal accusation and is not evidence of guilt. Burton is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.