Federal Inquiry into Texas Sheriff’s Office Initiated, Reports a Woman Questioned by FBI

A federal probe into a Texas sheriff, long beset by internal allegations of corruption and most recently questioned for the handling of a mass shooting incident, is underway, reports a woman who has been interviewed by the FBI.

The woman, having twice engaged with FBI personnel in recent months, approached the agency concerning what she deems a flawed probe into her brother’s homicide. Jenifer Jones informed The Big Big News that the FBI is delving into claims against San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers and his team concerning rampant misfeasance and is on the lookout for possible civil liberties breaches. During extended interviews, Jones disclosed that the agents inquired meticulously about incidents and cases extending well beyond the scope of her brother’s case.

The scrutiny by the federal investigators on the provincial sheriff’s office follows an AP exposé highlighting enduring allegations against Capers for overlooking subordinates’ wrongdoing and disregarding fundamental law enforcement tasks. Instead, his focus appeared to be on asset forfeitures which augmented his department’s budget but often faltered judicially.

The current stage of the FBI’s inquiry, or its anticipated conclusion, remains uncertain, as federal investigations do not invariably lead to indictments. An FBI representative maintained the customary stance of neither acknowledging nor disclaiming any ongoing investigations.

Sheriff Capers, while not directly available for comment, had his chief deputy, Tim Kean, express their office’s readiness for federal examination, noting their openness to presenting their side of the story.

This inquiry stems from persistent grievances filed against Capers by his own deputies to state and federal authorities. Capers gained notoriety during the extensive manhunt in May for a shooter responsible for five deaths within the county, situated an hour away from Houston. However, his leadership was also marred by initial misinformation about deputies’ reaction time and criticism from residents feeling overlooked or intimidated by the sheriff.

The depth of the FBI’s sessions with Jones signifies a significant interest in her testimony, observed Michelle Lee, a former FBI agent from Texas. Lee pointed out that such dedicated attention hints at a substantive investigation, albeit acknowledging that these inquiries may proceed inconspicuously for extended periods.

Jones, 47, took the initiative to contact the FBI over the summer, driven by the hope that the heightened attention on Capers post-shooting might shed light on her brother’s death investigation by the sheriff’s office.

Her brother, John Wayne Dodge, met with a fatal shooting in 2020, leading to the arrest of his son on murder charges. However, in 2022, prosecutors abandoned the case, citing the “interest of justice,” as court documents revealed. Jones suspects another individual of the murder, who, in her view, has not been thoroughly investigated.

San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon, without commenting on the investigations of other agencies, remarked that subsequent to his assumption of office the previous year, he found insufficient evidence to continue prosecution against Dodge’s son.

In a follow-up, Jones met with FBI agents from Bryan, Texas, in September. While the agents implied limited action regarding Dodge’s case, they requested Jones’s assistance in connecting with other individuals possibly aggrieved by the sheriff.

Additionally, Jones provided the agents with a consultant’s report, likening the sheriff’s office operations to organized crime—a report whose investigative recommendations were ignored by the county authorities, despite the substantial payment for its creation.

Confirmation of the agents’ identities by a law enforcement official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, substantiates Jones’s account.

Jones reconvened with the agents in October to supply further documentation and contacts of individuals willing to discuss the sheriff. She recounted an agent’s interest in identifying instances where civil rights might have been infringed.

Jones expressed her intent to inform county residents of a higher authority available for lodging complaints against the sheriff, stating, “I feel like the victims of this county have nowhere else to go.”

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