VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas — Indictments against Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix and two of his deputies state that all three officers claimed they did not see a former chief deputy use excessive force against an inmate.
Hendrix, Chief Deputy Jerry Wood and Sergeant Blake Snell have all been indicted on multiple counts of a false statement to a peace officer charge.
The indictments state they witnessed excessive force by Craig Shelton, former chief deputy at the Van Zandt Sheriff's Office, and lied to a Texas Ranger when interviewed in December 2021.
The officers were indicted on March 25.
On Jan. 10, 2022, Shelton admitted to the Texas Rangers that he had struck a handcuffed individual in the face without justification, according to the Van Zandt County District Attorney's Office said.
According to the indictments, Hendrix, Snell and Wood falsely said they did not see Shelton strike the inmate while knowing the Texas Rangers were investigating.
Hendrix also said that he did not think that anybody engaged verbally with the inmate. Hendrix also said he was not aware Shelton was the subject of a Texas Rangers complaint, the indictments allege.
Snell told authorities he was in close proximity to the inmate at the time of the incident and he did not see Shelton hit the inmate. Snell also denied leading another deputy away from the incident because that deputy "did not need to see the incident," the indictment read.
Wood said he did not hear Shelton apologize for hitting the inmate and during a meeting, Wood said he was not aware that Shelton was the subject of the complaint, according to the indictment.
Giving a false statement to a peace officer is considered a Class B misdemeanor, which in Texas carries a possible punishment of up to 180 days in jail, a fine of as much as $2,000, or both.
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