TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION FOUND GALVESTON SHERIFF FAILED TO DISCLOSE PAST ARRESTS

Galveston County sheriff officially disciplined with no impact to job, his legal team says

 

By Pooja Lodhia 

 

KTRK

Dec 11, 2025

 

 

Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen holds up one of Galveston County Jail’s  

“safety pink” jumpsuits intended to discourage recidivism. Experts say there is 

no evidence that such tactics reduce recidivism,

 

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas -- The Galveston County sheriff has been officially disciplined by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, but according to the terms of an agreement he made, his job won't be affected.

That means Jimmy Fullen will remain sheriff, ending an investigation that has been going on for more than a year.

The sheriff's legal team released a statement saying the matter is now completely closed and will have no impact on the sheriff's job.

Those attorneys are calling this whole investigation legally motivated.

"I'm pleased for the citizens of Galveston County. No other statements," Sheriff Jimmy Fullen said while leaving a meeting of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement on Wednesday.

Fullen was sworn in as sheriff in January.

He is a Republican and won nearly 62% of the vote, almost exactly the same margin President Donald Trump won in Galveston County.

But, even then, there were questions.

In June of 2024, before the election, the commission, which oversees law enforcement, received a complaint from a retired Galveston County sergeant.

The commission investigated, and records show, it recommended revoking Fullen's peace officer license after finding he had failed to disclose past arrests, civil suits, and formal complaints made about him at work.

When Fullen was sworn in, he told ABC13, "I did disclose my previous arrests, and it was on my criminal history that I submitted."

Fullen appealed the decision to revoke his license and sued the state commission.

On Wednesday, the commission announced a settlement and unanimously agreed to suspend the sheriff's peace officer's license for six months, but backdate the suspension to 2024, before Fullen even took office.

That means the sheriff will continue to serve.

"This was the typical and quintessential example of what's called lawfare. That is using the system, whether it be an administrative system or legal system or other systems, to do things you could not do at the ballot box," Fullen's attorney, Tony Buzbee, said.