FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (Covering Katy News)—Significant legal documents shedding light on the arrest of a Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Commissioner became available to the public late Thursday. The 15-page arrest warrant details the case against Taral Patel, 30, who is running for Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner.
Read the Taral Patel Arrest Warrant
Patel was apprehended by the Texas Rangers during a roadside traffic stop on Wednesday morning, June 12. The investigation is being led by Democratic District Attorney Brian Middleton's Public Integrity Division, which is also working with the Texas Rangers. Middleton's office says the investigation remains active.
Patel is facing allegations that he created a fake social media account to post racist comments directed at himself to falsely make it appear he was the victim of racist attacks. Patel then issued a press release with a collage of the "attacks" that created local and worldwide media attention and drove donations to his campaign.
The warrant reveals the case against Patel, who is charged with two counts of Felony Online Impersonation and one Class A misdemeanor charge of Misrepresentation of Identity, a Texas Election Code violation.
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Taral Patel frequently promotes that he had a job with the Biden Administration. In this photo he is standing outside the White House.
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Taral Patel frequently promotes that he had a job with the Biden Administration. In this photo he poses with the President and First Lady.
The warrant reveals that Patel targeted his Democratic primary opponent, Abrahim Javed, and his general election opponent, Republican Andy Meyers, the 28-year incumbent Precinct 3 Commissioner.
According to the warrant, Patel's deceptions began in October 2022 when investigators say he used a Needville man's identity to create a Facebook page on which he regularly sent and received messages under the name Antonio Scalywag.
Investigators from the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office say Patel copied a photo of a man and his family and used it as the profile photo on the Scalywag Facebook page.
The Scalywag account claimed to be a Donald Trump Republican and often posted positive comments about the party’s top elected officials, but he had one Republican he did not like, Republican Andy Meyers. As the election season heated up, Scalywag suddenly began posting support for Meyers, but his comments always included racist remarks, falsely creating the impression that Meyers gained his support from racists.
"I am against false gods and their worshippers (sic) winning office in a Christian nation. I am with Meyers ALL THE WAY because he serves Jesus, unlike Patel and his followers who worship Monkey and Elephant," one Scalywag post said.
Antonio Scalywag Facebook Post
Taral Patel's arrest warrant referenced this facebook post by Antonio Scalywag who is Investigators say is actually Taral Patel.
The DA's office spent months working on the case, which involved issuing subpoenas to Facebook and Google. The subpoenas revealed data that matched Patel's address, phone number, Texas driver's license number, bank card number, and other personal information.
Information from the subpoenas revealed that Patel's phone number is the recovery number for numerous email addresses belonging to him and ones that appear to belong to his former boss, County Judge K.P. George. Those email addresses are:
- electkpgeorge@gmail.com
- info@kpgeorge.com
- kpgeroge@kpgeorge.com
It was not revealed why the information about the County Judge's email addresses was included in the arrest warrant and there was no indication that George was involved in the crimes Patel allegedly participated in.
The warrant says there was "a series of direct messages to users, links to articles, and/or comments in 2023 challenging the qualifications of Democratic candidate Abrahm Javed," who lost to Patel in the Democratic primary.
The warrant also says investigators "observed a series of direct messages, posts, and/or comments in 2023 and 2024 that were both critical of Meyers and/or appeared to support Meyers using xenophobic language like the ones included in Taral Patel's press release."
Investigators uncovered an August 2023 message in which Scalywag said he was "Precinct 3 Chairman for Andy Meyers." Documents reveal that he attempted to set up a meeting using the phony identity. The message asks, "When are you available to meet with Mr. Commissioner Andy Meyers and myself?" See screen shots below.
In another direct message, Antonio Scalywag told a Facebook user he was working with the campaign of Democratic primary candidate Abrahim Javed and threatened to "destroy the user if he interfere[d] in our campaign."
Investigators also said, "It appeared that Antonio Scalywag, after sending the threatening message, deleted the message.”
Investigators say the recipient saved it and sent it back to the Scalywag account.
Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office
Two post by Antonio Scalywag recovered by investigators.
Patel is free on a $20,000 bond for the two felony counts and a $2,500 bond for the misdemeanor charge. He bonded out in the early morning hours of June 13 after spending the previous day locked up in the Fort Bend County Jail.
In March, Patel won the Democratic nomination for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner. He faces Meyers in the November election.
Patel’s bond conditions include having no contact with the Needville man whose identity was stolen. He also had to surrender his passport, can’t possess a firearm or any weapon, or use any electronic device that allows internet access unless he has specific approval from the probation department. Patel is also banned from using any software programs designed to hide, alter, or delete logs of computer use.
Disclaimer: The owner of Covering Katy News, Dennis Spellman, is also employed by the Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner’s Office.
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Watch Taral Patel on Fox 26 when he was promoting the claims that he was the victim of racist attacks.