TALTY, Texas – The chief of police for the city of Talty, Michael Gene Hoskins, 64, has been charged with two counts of tampering with a government record and one count of abuse of official capacity and turned himself in to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s office this morning.
TALTY, Texas – The chief of police for the city of Talty, Michael Gene Hoskins, 64, has been charged with two counts of tampering with a government record and one count of abuse of official capacity and turned himself in to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s office this morning.
Hoskins has already been released from the Kaufman County jail on a total of $6,500 bonds preset by 86th District Court Judge, Casey Blair.
According to the arrest warrant and probable cause affidavits, the first tampering with a government record charge stems from allegations that Hoskins paid for ID cards with city money for a friend that was not a city employee.
The report alleges that last February, Hoskins spent $92.90 to purchase police identification cards for six employees. One of the badges was ordered for a Melissa Bryan.
The affidavit states, “The City of Talty City Manager James Stroman confirmed there is not nor has there ever been an individual employed by the City of Talty by that name.” It also reveals that after an internal investigation into the matter of the unknown employee, Chief Hoskins further revealed to the city manager that Ms. Bryan was a friend of his.
“Chief Hoskins further advised that the Bryan subject was a Canadian citizen and he had created the fictitious identification card so she could attend a restricted Chief of Police conference with him in Houston Texas in April 2017,” it states.
Investigators were able to confirm from records from the Texas Police Association’s conference that both Hoskins and Bryan attended the conference.
The other two counts against Hoskins, tampering with a government record and abuse of official capacity, are related to the sell of a firearm.
According to the court affidavits, in June of 2012, the City of Talty police department seized a Remington Model rifle that was used in the commission of a crime. In January 2013, the rifle was awarded to the the Talty Police department in a “Motion for Forfeiture & Destruction” signed by 422nd District Judge, Mike Chittty.
In April of 2017, Hoskins sold the rifle to an individual, Richard Lynn Townsend. Townsend is not a licensed fire arm dealer as required under current statutes. The firearm sale was not held at a public auction; which also violates statutes according to investigators.
Further, the report details that gun was sold for $350 and Hoskins deposited the proceeds into the city’s coffers. It wasn’t until a city employee recognized the unusual bank deposit, that they began to look for receipts or documentation to justify the bank transactions.
Last May, Hoskins first offered a receipt to Stroman which indicated the gun had been sold to Townsend for $800. Hoskins allegedly told a coworker, he had sold a shotgun to Townsend, for $350 but had given Townsend a “fictitious receipt” for $800 for “insurance” purposes. The employee reported the information to city officials. The following day, Hoskins provided the city manager with a new receipt for $350 signed by both he and Townsend.
With Hoskins now out on bond, his case has been turned over the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office.
Hoskins was placed on administrative leave with pay yesterday while he remains under investigation, according to Stroman. Stroman said the city did not instigate the investigation, but are cooperating.
“We are cooperating with law enforcement officials as they conduct their investigation,” Stroman said.
The Talty City Council voted to place Chief Hoskins on a one-year probation with quarterly reviews to clarify duties, review actions and monitor improvements in August of 2017. Bill Carmack is the acting police chief according to the city’s website.
This is a developing story.