Turns out Antonio Scalywag isn't

[Dennis Taylor 18567]

a real person...shocking 

Come on Taral Patel, you're better than that

Taral Patel is charged with online impersonation, a felony, and misrepresentation of identity, a misdemeanor, the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office said.

Author: Michelle Homer, KHOU 11 Staff

Published: 6:47 PM CDT June 14, 2024

Updated: 7:06 PM CDT June 14, 2024

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — We've learned more about what led to the arrest this week of a candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 commissioner.  

According to the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office, Taral Patel is charged with online impersonation, a felony, and misrepresentation of identity, a misdemeanor. 

 

According to a lengthy court document obtained by KHOU 11 News, Patel created a fake Facebook account using the name "Antonio Scalywag." He used a photo of a Needville man for his profile picture, an investigator with the DA's office said. 

The investigator said Patel used the account from October 2022 to May 2024. She said Patel made racist posts about himself under the alias of "Antonio Scalywag" and then issued a press release saying he'd been the victim of racist attacks. He included a collage of the posts by "Scalywag" in the release. 

The investigator learned the same alias had also been used to attack Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers before Patel launched his campaign to run against Meyers.  

She tracked down the man whose photo was used in the fake account. He said it was done without his knowledge.

Patel was released from jail after posting bond. 

We've reached out to him for comment but haven't heard back.

Edited June 15 by Dennis Taylor

[atomheartbevo 88914]

Authorities were further shocked to discover that Taral Patel created a fake Facebook account using the name "Jonathan Thief" and then used the account to make posts accusing himself of stealing from the county.

[ChickenSandwich 9760]

[Dahobbs 17180]

Honestly, I'm more shocked to learn that online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity are crimes. The first I found in the Texas penal code. The second, I'm not sure where that is. 

https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-33-07/

 

[Rockwell Torrey 1269]

1 hour ago, Dahobbs said:

Honestly, I'm more shocked to learn that online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity are crimes. The first I found in the Texas penal code. The second, I'm not sure where that is. 

https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-33-07/

 

Let’s hope John Wayne’s estate does not learn about this.

[HendersonHorns 85]

3 hours ago, Dahobbs said:

Honestly, I'm more shocked to learn that online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity are crimes. The first I found in the Texas penal code. The second, I'm not sure where that is. 

https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-33-07/

 

Had to come from all these assholes getting people to buy gift cards to keep from “being arrested” and giving those idiots hundreds and thousands of dollars. 
 

i don’t remember the legal update from it, but I’m sure some guys here do. 

[atomheartbevo 88914]

3 hours ago, Dahobbs said:

Honestly, I'm more shocked to learn that online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity are crimes. The first I found in the Texas penal code. The second, I'm not sure where that is.