SUGAR LAND, Texas – Residents in Sugar Land have been seeing campaign signs for quite some time around the city.
But on Monday, some of those signs were gone; completely cut down and destroyed.
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Several signs were tied to incumbent county Commissioner Andy Meyers and featured a mugshot of his opponent, Taral Patel. Patel is currently facing 9 criminal charges for criminal acts prosecutors say were tied to his campaign.
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KPRC 2 Investigates was made aware that election officials from the county were alerted.
We also contacted the Sugar Land Police Department, who said they are investigating the matter. An official for the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office told us they are also investigating.
The District Attorney’s Office said there were signs of at least three different candidates from both political parties which had been cut down and left on the ground.
“During the 2024 Primary Elections, a person was charged, prosecuted, and ordered to pay more than $1,500 in restitution for destroying candidate signs. This comes on the heels of reported sign thefts at the Cinco Ranch Library poll in Katy last week. Over 30 signs were stolen at that location, which is also under investigation. Not all signs that disappear are stolen. Some are placed without the landowner’s permission or are unlawfully in the right of way, which would be removed by TxDOT,” the district attorney’s office said in a press release.
According to Fort Bend County Officials, criminal mischief and the value of the sign are two of the penalties that can be levied against them. However, the number of signs in total can ramp up charges and potential jail time according to the Fort Bend County DA’s Office.
“If the public has a complaint when they arrive to vote, they can call the Elections Hotline at 281-341-8670, or email at Vote@fbctx.gov. If you witness a crime or have information about campaign-related vandalism or theft, please call 911 or the non-emergency number for your local police agency,” the district attorney’s office said.
