Taral Patel, a 30-year-old Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner, was arrested and charged with felony on-line impersonation and misrepresentation of id.
Patel, who had been vying for a big political position, was caught in his personal net of lies after meticulous investigations by native authorities unraveled his scheme.
The investigations revealed that Patel had created pretend social media accounts to disseminate derogatory and racist remarks, falsely attributing them to his opponent’s supporters. This deceit was not solely meant to discredit his Republican adversary but in addition to control public opinion by enjoying the sufferer card.
Patel, who faces a possible sentence of two to 10 years in jail, was apprehended by the Texas Rangers throughout a roadside cease on Wednesday, June 12, Overlaying Katy reported.
In line with the arrest warrant, Patel is charged with two counts of Felony On-line Impersonation and one Class A misdemeanor cost of Misrepresentation of Id, a violation of the Texas Election Code.
The warrant means that Patel’s misleading actions focused each his Democratic major opponent, Abrahim Javed, and his normal election opponent, Republican Andy Meyers.
Patel’s misleading ways started in October 2022 when he allegedly used the id of a person from Needville named Patrick Ernst to create a Fb web page underneath the pseudonym Antonio Scalywag.
The Scalywag account claimed allegiance to Donald Trump and incessantly posted optimistic feedback about high elected Republican officers however constantly expressed dislike for one specific Republican, Andy Meyers.
Because the election season intensified, Scalywag started posting assist for Meyers coupled with derogatory and racist feedback, making a misunderstanding that Meyers’ assist base was primarily racist.
“I’m in opposition to false gods and their worshippers (sic) profitable workplace in a Christian nation. I’m with Meyers ALL THE WAY as a result of he serves Jesus, not like Patel and his followers who worship Monkey and Elephant,” one Scalywag submit mentioned.
Listed here are a few of Patel’s racist feedback:
Patrick Ernst was introduced in for questioning on the Fort Bend County District Legal professional’s Workplace after suspicions arose relating to his involvement. Affiant, the investigating officer, met with Ernst on February 2, 2024, and confirmed his id via official databases and paperwork.
Throughout the interview, Ernst admitted to being the individual depicted in a photograph used on the Fb account of Antonio Scalywag. He defined that the photograph, that includes himself and his spouse, was initially posted on his spouse’s enterprise web site.
Ernst additional disclosed that he had been alerted to the impersonation by a involved particular person named Bassam Syed. Affiant additionally introduced Ernst with Fb posts attributed to Antonio Scalywag, which Ernst denied writing.
The District Legal professional’s workplace spent months engaged on this case, issuing subpoenas to Fb and Google. The info obtained from these subpoenas matched Patel’s tackle, telephone quantity, Texas driver’s license quantity, financial institution card quantity, and different private data.
“Affiant has purpose to imagine and does imagine that: starting on or about October 20, 2022, and persevering with via Might 4, 2024, earlier than the making and submitting of this criticism, within the County of Fort Bend, within the State of Texas, TARAL VIPUL PATEL, an Asian/Pacific Islander/Non-Hispanic male… did then and there, commit the offense of On-line Impersonation, a 3rd diploma felony, to wit: Taral Vipul Patel, with out acquiring Patrick Ernst’s consent and with the intent to hurt, defraud, intimidate or threaten any individual, did then and there use the persona of Patrick Ernst to create an online web page utilizing the identify “Antonio Scalywag” on a business social networking web site, specifically Fb; and/or submit or ship a number of messages utilizing the identify “Antonio Scalywag” on or via a business social networking web site, specifically Fb,” the arrest warrant reads.
Patel is at present held with a bond set at $20,000 for the felony cost and an extra $2,500 for the misdemeanor. Ought to he fail to submit bond, he’s scheduled to seem earlier than a Justice of the Peace on Thursday morning, Fox Information reported.
