BELLVILLE — An Austin County Jury found Chad Edward Hultquist, formerly of Bellville, guilty of two felony counts of Retaliation in District Judge Jeff Steinhauser’s court on Jan. 10 in Bellville.
Hultquist was charged with threatening to kill First Assistant District Attorney Brandy Robinson and Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Nystrom due to their status as public servants.
The jury deliberated an hour and a half before returning guilty verdicts on both charges.
At the end of the three-day trial, the jury deliberated an hour and 35 minutes before sentencing Hultquist (51) to the maximum sentence of 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on each count.
The law requires both sentences to run together.
Hultquist was charged with calling the Bellville Police Department on July 4, 2022, and leaving a voicemail message where he threatened to bring a firearm to the courthouse and murder the two Austin County prosecutors.
Evidence was also presented that Hultquist had threatened to kill ADA Nystrom in a prior phone conversation.
Chief Jason Smalley of the Bellville Police Department led the investigation and arrested Hultquist in Harris County, Texas.
District Judge Steinhauser appointed Colorado County Attorney Jay Johannes and Assistant County Attorney Carolyn Olson to work as independent special prosecutors on the case.
Retaliation typically carries a sentence of two to ten years in prison with the possibility of probation. However, Hultquist is a Repeat Felony Offender under the law, and he was not eligible for probation.
Hultquist qualified for a higher sen - tencing range of two to twenty years.
The State presented evidence that Hultquist had several convictions spanning over two decades, including one prior prison sentence for Kidnapping and Robbery in the 1990’s.
Bellville Defense Attorney John Anderson represented Hultquist.
“Colorado County Attorney Jay Johannes and Assistant County Attorney Carolyn Olson did an excellent job prosecuting this case,” District Attorney Travis J. Koehn said.
“I appreciate their steadfast commitment to justice and their decision to take on this prosecution.”
“The jury’s verdict sends a strong message that Austin County will not tolerate attacks against those who work in law enforcement—in the courts or on the streets,” Koehn added.
“Mr. Nystrom and I are thankful for the jury’s time and their verdict,” First Assistant District Attorney Brandy Robinson stated.
“We are also always grateful to our Bellville police officers, our Bailiffs, and all Austin County peace officers who work so hard to keep us safe so that we can do the work we have been called to do,” Robinson said.
