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Colorado County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 Donald J. Clark turned himself in to authorities on June 23 and was booked into the Colorado County Jail at approximately 2 p.m.
According to information obtained by the Citizen, Clark was indicted on charges of official oppression, failure to report to a peace officer and false report to induce an emergency response.
The charges include one Class A misdemeanor and two Class B misdemeanors.
An investigation was conducted by the Texas Rangers.
Clark, 60, was elected justice of the peace in 2022 and was re-elected in March 2026. As of Tuesday afternoon, Clark remained listed as the presiding Justice of the Peace for Precinct 3 on the Colorado County website.
Texas Penal Code Section 37.08 defines the offense of making a False Report to a Peace Officer, Federal Investigator, or Law Enforcement Employee.
It is classified as a Class B Misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
Texas Penal Code ยง 39.03(a) defines the charge of Official Oppression. This occurs when a public servant, acting under color of their office, intentionally mistreats another, denies them their rights, or subjects them to unlawful detention, search, or sexual harassment, it is typically a Class A Misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail, up to $4,000 in fines).
- False Report to Induce Emergency Response; an individual commits an offense if they make a false report to emergency personnel and act recklessly, knowing their report could cause bodily injury to another person. Base Level: A Class A misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000.
- State Jail Felony: Upgraded if the defendant has two or more prior convictions for this specific offense.
- Third-Degree Felony: Upgraded if the false report claims a criminal offense occurred or if a person suffers serious bodily injury or death as a direct result of the emergency response
Additional information, including details contained in the indictment, was not immediately available.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
