Special prosecutor joins investigation into Smith Co. Constable's office | News
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SMITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV)-
The four deputy constables accused of operating security business without a license have admitted their guilt.
In February, Monty Ward Jr., Mark Pierce and Justin Stockwell we're arrested along with Lieutenant Thomas Burnes.
The four were accused of using county gasoline to patrol The Woods neighborhood in South Tyler for profit.
On Monday, Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham says the four deputies have all cooperated with the investigation and submitted affidavits admitting they violated the Texas Securities Act.
Bingham says those affidavits led them to investigate Constable Dustin Rust. Now, Bingham's office is brining in a special prosecutor to assist in the case.
"When you get affidavits like we've received, that then expand the investigation towards other people-- we have to look at that, and we brought in the special prosecutor to maintain it in the public's eye and really that's why we do it. So the public will say, there was somebody not from this county who doesn't know anybody involved and we have to do that because Dustin Rust and Don Rust made it a political issue," says Bingham.
Bingham says the special prosecutor will work both in and with the Smith County DA's office.
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