RESS Former Eagle Lake police officer Christopher Allan Cannon was indicted and charged with two felony counts out of district court and was booked in the Colorado County Jail on April 17.
The felony charges against Cannon are two counts in the District Court Case #23-043 - CTI and CTII Tamper ing/Fabricating Physical Evidence. Each count is a third-degree felony.
These felony charges came out of in- dictments by a grand jury. Bond was set at $10,000 for each charge and was set by Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Billy Hefner.
According to the Grand Jury indictments, the charges state that Cannon, on or about Nov. 7, 2022, knowing that an investigation or official proceeding was in progress, namely an investigation into the allegations of bigamy, presented a document purportedly issued by the Vital Statistics of the Texas Department of State Health Services, with knowledge of its falsity and with the intent to affect the course or outcome of the investigation.
These charges stem from Cannon leaving the Eagle Lake Police Department and working for Weimar PD. A background check performed on Can- non by the Weimar PD did not show anything suspicious about Cannon at the time of the initial background check.
Subsequent investigations by the Weimar City Manager Mike Barrow and the Chief of Police Todd Jacobs found or rather did not find certain information in Cannon's employee file. The missing information that would have eliminated Cannon from being considered for hire at Weimar was al legedly scrubbed or left out of Cannon’s file.
Colorado County Attorney Jay Jo- hannes, who is representing the District Attorney's office in this case, says, "I can't comment on the specifics of the case beyond the allegations contained in the indictment." He went on to say the missing information is due more on a personal side and at no time did it harm or could possibly harm the public in the performance of duties or arrests.
The Eagle Lake Police Department is embroiled in controversy over the handling of the police department. Eagle Lake Police Chief Kris Abbott has been on suspension, and several officers have left the force. The department is so se- verely lacking manpower that the Colo - rado County Sheriff's Office has had to help with law enforcement duties.
Colorado County Sheriff Office Chief Deputy Troy Neisner said the Colorado County Sheriff's Office has agreed to help if a major incident happens. When requested, the sheriff's office will help make decisions with experienced per sonnel.
The sheriff's office has periodically patrolled Eagle Lake, but no unit is spe- cifically assigned to the city area. Their focus is on the county.
Eagle Lake City Manager Charles "Tink" Jackson is tasked with the re sponsibility of rebuilding a police department that has a history of turmoil and mismanagement.
Jackson has been the Eagle Lake city manager for less than a year and inherited the situation at the police department.
He asked the sheriff's office to come in and assist if needed.
Cannon turned himself into the Col- orado County Sheriff's Office for booking and was released on a surety bond.
