Candidate for Fort Bend County Commissioner Taral Patel arrested for online impersonation

He’s facing a third degree felony charge of online impersonation and a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity.

Natalie Weber, Fort Bend County Bureau | Posted OnJune 13, 2024, 2:27 PM (Last Updated: June 14, 2024, 10:54 AM)

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A candidate for Fort Bend County commissioner has been accused of creating a fake Facebook account to attack his opponents.

Authorities say Taral Patel also used the fake account to make racist comments under his own Facebook posts. He was arrested earlier this week on a third-degree felony charge of online impersonation and a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity.

Patel won the Democratic primary for the seat in March. He's set to run against incumbent Republican Andy Meyers in November.

Patel could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Last fall, Patel sent out a press release saying he had been the target of racist comments on social media. But at least three of those comments came from a social media account that Patel himself created, investigators allege in court records.

The username on those three comments was concealed in Patel’s press release. But Meyers tracked down the comments and found that they were posted by a user named “Antonio Scalywag.”

The commissioner recognized the account as someone who had previously attacked him on social media. Meyers had hired a private investigator, who could not locate anyone in the county with that name.

After Patel sent out the news release, Meyers asked the district attorney’s office to investigate whether any of the social media accounts in the press release were fake.

The district attorney’s office found that Patel created the account in 2021 and began using it to criticize Meyers, court records say. Patel had worked for County Judge KP George, but had left the office and was working in Washington D.C. at the time.

In 2022, Patel added a profile picture to the “Antonio Scalywag” Facebook account of a man who lived in Fort Bend County, investigators allege. The man told the district attorney’s account that he did not run the Facebook account and did not consent to its use of his photo.

Investigators also found that Patel used the fake Facebook account to attack Abrahim Javed, another candidate in the Democratic primary. Javed was the runner-up in the primary, with about 28% of the votes.

Patel previously served as chief of staff for KP George, who has endorsed him. On Thursday, George released a statement, though he did not name Patel directly.

"As a public official, I address the recent events involving a former employee with a deep sense of concern," George said in the statement. "Recognizing the gravity of the situation, I emphasize the vital importance of upholding the principles of due process and impartial investigation.

"I trust that this matter will be examined without prejudice. White awaiting additional information, I reaffirm my commitment to ensuring justice and accountability. I look forward to gaining a complete understanding of the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident."

Patel was booked in the jail on Wednesday on a $20,000 bond for the felony charge and a $2,500 bond for the misdemeanor charge. The district attorney’s office worked with the Texas Rangers on the investigation.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5541729&forum_id=2#47752828)

(1) create a web page on a commercial social networking site or other Internet website; or

(2) post or send one or more messages on or through a commercial social networking site or other Internet website, other than on or through an electronic mail program or *****************message board program.*****************

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We're in the clear boys.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5541729&forum_id=2#47753262)

https://www.kpgeorge.com/

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5541729&forum_id=2#47753268)

lol SP has this done to him every day thrice before breakfast

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5541729&forum_id=2#47753601)