Charges against Texas state representative for impersonating a public official dismissed after no-contest plea – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

A district court in Collin County dismissed charges against state representative. Frederik Frazier on Friday after the McKinney Republican entered no defense to two misdemeanor charges of impersonating a public servant. The court also granted early release from community supervision, resulting in the dismissal as part of Frazier's deferred adjudication.

In December, Frazier no defense was presented for the two criminal charges, part of a plea agreement stemming from allegations he targeted the campaign signs of his primary runoff opponent more than a year ago. Frazier accepted a year of probation and a maximum fine of $4,000 for each offense.

Earlier this month, Frazier's attorney filed a motion for early release and dismissal of charges. On Friday, Judge Jim Pruitt granted that motion, a little more than four months after Frazier entered the no contest plea. The ruling comes a month before Frazier's primary against Keresa Richardson for a Republican-friendly seat in northern Collin County outside Dallas.

In December, accepting Frazier's plea of ​​no contest, Pruitt wrote: “The court finds that the evidence and defendant's plea establish defendant's guilt of the offense as charged in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.”

He separately pleaded guilty to a crime of vandalism.

Frazier was indicted in June 2022, accusing him of twice impersonating a city of McKinney code enforcement employee and directing people to “remove campaign signs.”

The campaign signs belonged to his opponent in the 2022 Republican primary for House District 61, Paul Chabot. In his first race for the House, Frazier had the support of former President Donald Trump. Chabot lost that race.

Kabot told The Texas Tribune that the judge surprised him with his order on Friday. He had planned to make a victim impact statement at the end of the year, when Frazier would complete his community supervision.

On Friday, Frazier announced on social media that the judge had dismissed his case. He said his legal troubles had given him a sense of respect for Trump, who faces four criminal cases accusing him of election interference, mishandling classified documents and falsifying corporate records.

“I can’t compare my situation to Donald Trump, who has been hounded by radical Democrats with little or no evidence,” Frazier said. “It gave me a little taste of what President Trump is facing now.”

Frazier's campaign team did not respond to a request for comment Friday evening.

Frazier represents House District 61, a seat in northern Collin County outside Dallas that favors Republicans.

Governor. Greg Abbott endorsed Frazier during his re-election campaign as part of a general show of support for dozens of Republicans in the House of Representatives who sided with Abbott in favor of school vouchers.

Frazier is one of dozens of Republicans in the House of Representatives running for attorney general Ken Paxton tried to defeat after the House impeached him in May on charges of abuse of office. The Senate acquitted Paxton in September.

Richardson, his opponent in the May 28 runoff, said his legal troubles were not the reason she entered the race, but that it was his performance in the Texas House of Representatives that prompted her to challenge Frazier. Richardson won 40% of the vote; Frazier won 32% of the vote.

“We're going to let the people decide who they'd rather have in the House,” Richardson told The Texas Tribune on Friday. “It's up to the voters.”

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs — and engages — Texans about public policy, politics, government and state issues. This story is republished with permission.