Documents cite false time-sheet entries, a missed felony report and an untrue statement during a separate inquiry.
HAMILTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers arrested Hamilton County Sheriff Jason Bradley Boulton this week on multiple counts, accusing the first-term sheriff of falsifying government records, abusing his office, failing to report a felony and giving a false statement as investigators pressed a separate case.
The charges pull a sitting sheriff into the center of a widening criminal inquiry that spans late 2024 through 2025. The affidavit lists specific dates tied to community service records, a drug-related allegation in May 2025, and a statement investigators say was false in October 2025. Boulton was booked into the Coryell County Jail and later posted bond after bail was set at $110,000. State officials said the Rangers’ investigation remains active, and county leaders offered no comment while prosecutors review the file for potential presentation to a grand jury.
According to the affidavit, the case began with questions about a Monthly Community Service Time Sheet. Investigators say Boulton “knowingly made a false entry” by adding eight hours that were not fully worked by a probationer on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, 2024, again on Dec. 9 and Dec. 13, 2024, and later on March 12, 2025. The document next describes a May 5, 2025 incident in which Boulton allegedly violated the criminal procedure code “by possessing a dangerous drug, promoting or facilitating the delivery of a dangerous drug or tampering with a government record.” On July 1, 2025, the affidavit says, he failed to immediately report a felony involving the delivery of a dangerous drug or practicing medicine without a license, an offense they wrote could cause serious injury or death.
Another allegation centers on an Oct. 17, 2025 interview in which, according to investigators, Boulton told a peace officer he was unaware of any Hamilton County deputies or public officials using GLP-1 substances. The document says the statement was intended to deceive and was untrue. Records also list multiple counts of abuse of official capacity, a charge used when a public official misuses government resources or authority. Officials have not published a full, consolidated indictment, and it remained unclear whether the drug reference pointed to a specific patient, inventory log or diversion case within the sheriff’s office. The Rangers and county judge said they would provide no additional details while interviews and records checks continue.
Boulton, who took office in October 2024, leads a small agency in a rural county about 70 miles northwest of Waco. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office operates out of facilities near South Rice Street in the city of Hamilton and works closely with probation and county courts. Booking logs showed Boulton was taken into custody earlier in the week before posting bond. No defense attorney had been listed in court records as of the latest update. The sheriff’s office’s day-to-day operations continued under senior staff, and the county did not announce any suspension or leave order. No personnel changes involving deputies were made public.
Texas statutes at issue carry a range of penalties. Tampering with a government record can be a felony when the purpose is to defraud or harm, including when the record influences a government’s action. Abuse of official capacity penalizes misuse of government property, services or personnel for unauthorized purposes. A false statement to law enforcement can be charged when made knowingly during an investigation. Failure to report a felony applies when a person becomes aware of an offense that could lead to serious injury or death and does not alert authorities immediately. While the law provides removal mechanisms for elected officials charged with misconduct, county leaders have not initiated those steps and said they would wait on the results of the investigation.
Next steps include evidence review by prosecutors and potential grand jury consideration. If the case moves forward, an indictment could be followed by arraignment and pretrial hearings in the coming weeks. A judge could address bond conditions or administrative limits on the sheriff’s contact with witnesses. The Rangers said their work remains active and they would not release additional records until interviews conclude. County commissioners have not posted any special meeting to discuss leadership changes. The sheriff had not filed a resignation letter by late Saturday.
Around the courthouse square Friday, courthouse staff kept public counters open for routine business. Residents arriving to pay fees and update paperwork paused to discuss the news. “This is a small place; everyone knows everyone,” one man said outside a tax office window. A woman who identified herself as a probationer’s relative said she hoped the community service logs would be “straightened out by the book.” In a short statement, a Department of Public Safety spokesperson said only that “the Texas Ranger investigation remains active” and declined to answer questions about the drug reference in the affidavit.
As of Saturday evening, Boulton was out on bond and no court hearing had been posted. Prosecutors are expected to determine whether to seek an indictment after reviewing interview summaries and the time-sheet exhibits this week.
Author note: Last updated January 12, 2026.