RICHMOND, Texas (Covering Katy News)—A Fort Bend County Grand Jury indicted Democratic Fort Bend County Judge KP George on Thursday for a Class A misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity.
George and his former Chief of Staff, Taral Patel, have both been indicted in connection with an alleged scheme to post fabricated racist messages online during George's 2022 reelection campaign. Prosecutors say the aim was to garner sympathy for George and portray his Republican opponent, Trever Nehls, in a negative light. Patel is accused of being the author of the racist posts, while George is accused of allowing Patel to post them with knowledge that the messages were manufactured.
Patel, who is now running for Precinct 3 Commissioner against incumbent Andy Meyers, has also been indicted for allegedly using similar tactics in the 2024 Democratic Primary and General Election to manipulate the outcome of those races. He's also accused of creating a Facebook page with the name of Democratic District Court Judge Surendran Pattel without the knowledge or approval of Pattel. While the two men have similar names they are not related.
Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office
Taral Patel and one of his six laptop computers seized and searched by the Texas Rangers.
The indictment of George was brought by the Democratic Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton’s office and filed in Fort Bend County Court-at-Law 5. The investigation was led by DA's office investigator Evett Kelly and Texas Ranger Louis Cantzontzint. If convicted, George could face up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
The indictment alleges that George misrepresented his identity on September 26, 2022, by posing as Facebook user Antonio Scalywag in a campaign communication posted on his Facebook page "with the intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election."
Facebook/The Fort Bend Independent
Some of the Facebook posts by KP George that led to his indictment
In a statement George said, "Although I am disappointed by the charges brought against me, I am confident that when all the facts are presented, justice will prevail. In this country, you are innocent until proven guilty, and I fully intend to prove my innocence in court. This evening I voluntarily reported to the agency that held the warrant and was released on a PR Bond, demonstrating my commitment to fully cooperating with the legal process.”
KP George
KP George Statement on Being Indicted
Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers requested the investigation a year ago when he said residents became concerned about their safety due the social media posts. Meyer's request kicked off a nearly one-year-long investigation designed to uncover the identity of the person posting the racist messages and make them stop.
"At the time I asked for the investigation I had no idea who was responsible," Meyers said. "I was shocked when I learned the investigation led directly to my opponent Taral Patel."
Dennis Spellman
Commissioner Andy Meyers taking questions about the Patel - George Fake Racism investigation on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.
Subpoenas and search warrants were use to gather information from Patel and George's mobile phones, numerous electronic devices that belonged to Patel, and records from internet service providers, credit card companies, Facebook, Google, and other sources.
"Fort Bend County is the most diverse county in the United States—known for being safe, family-friendly, and business-friendly," Meyers said. However, the racist messages that investigators say were manufactured by my opponent, Taral Patel, with the alleged knowledge of Judge KP George, have sown fear within our community. Seeking to create division for personal gain is reprehensible. We must stand together against these tactics and reaffirm our commitment to unity and inclusivity."
Nehls, in a statement released Thursday, called George’s indictment “deeply disturbing” and said it reveals a pattern of behavior that has no place in the county.
“The fact that our current county judge allegedly conspired to spread fake racist posts, not only to smear my character but also to manipulate voters and distort the truth, is a stain on our community and our political process,” Nehls said.
Nehls and several Fort Bend County officials have called for George to resign.
Following the Texas Ranger's raid on George's home, Meyers, called for George to resign and apologize "if he is responsible for these racist posts."
Pct. 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales, a Republican, also called for George’s resignation “to allow our commissioners court to peacefully continue the service and protection of our citizens.”
Morales who's represents the Katy, Richmond and Fulshear areas says he has many concerns about George remaining County Judge.
"As a county commissioner I have many questions as to the circumstances of this indictment. Specifically, how this relates to the county judge’s practice of using public funds for a security detail, Morales said. "I am also seeking additional information from the State of Texas about how this impacts the county judge’s role as a sworn member of the judiciary, as well as the statutory authority of the county judge as the head of our county’s emergency management. The safety of our citizens is a foremost priority for all members of our commissioners court."
Republican Fort Bend County Treasurer Bill Rickert also urged George to step down.
"At a time when we need to attract commercial and industrial development to alleviate the property tax burden on our community, this scandal is hindering that progress. Rather than providing transparency, both individuals (George and Patel) have chosen to hire lawyers and remain silent, allowing the cloud of this controversy to linger over our county indefinitely," Rickert said. "Our global reputation cannot be restored while KP George remains in office. I call for his immediate resignation and the reimbursement of taxpayer funds used for a security detail based on what we now know were fabricated allegations of racist threats."
Bill Rickert
Fort Bend County Treasurer Bill Rickert
Former County Judge Bob Hebert also called for George's immediate resignation.
"I concur with the Precinct 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales and Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers' call for County Judge KP George to resign," Norvell said. "His indictment for conspiracy with Taral Patel to foster racial hatred for political gain in Fort Bend County is indefensible."
Pct. 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy, a Democrat, did not call for George’s resignation but expressed concern about the situation. However, McCoy has previously called for Patel to withdraw from the Precinct 3 Commissioner’s Race.
On Thursday, Republican Precinct 1 Constable Chad Norvell called for George to resign.
"This situation is deeply embarrassing, especially considering that Fort Bend County is among the largest in Texas. He has completely lost credibility."
George stated that he did not intend to step down as judge despite calls for his resignation.
“My focus remains on serving the people of Fort Bend County, as I was elected to do,” George said. “My office and staff will continue working tirelessly on behalf of our residents, ensuring that the county’s business moves forward without interruption. I look forward to clearing my name and continuing the important work entrusted to me by the voters.”
George’s indictment follows the eight indictments issued earlier this month against Patel. Four of the indictments against Patel are third-degree felony charges of online impersonation. If convicted of the felonies, Patel could face up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. The other four indictments are Class A misdemeanor charges, three for misrepresentation of identity and one for online impersonation. Patel has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
As part of the investigation leading up to the indictments against Patel, George’s electronic devices were seized. The warrants alleged that George was aware that Patel was using fake social media accounts. At the time, George was considered a witness and not a suspect. George said he would have surrendered the electronic devices had he been asked.
George, a certified financial planner, is also a Democrat. He was first elected county judge in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. He previously served two terms on the Fort Bend ISD school board. The county judge presides over the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court, which oversees about 3,500 employees and a budget of more than $730 million.
The owner of Covering Katy news is an employee of the Precinct 3 Commissioner's Office.