(TheRedWire.com) – Democratic candidate Taral Patel who is in the race for Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner, was arrested after he was found to be behind the hate messages that he had received on social media.
The Texas Rangers arrested Patel who is being charged with Online Impersonation and Misrepresentation of Identity. For months Patel has been sending derogatory and racist comments to himself while impersonating a supporter of Andy Meyers, an incumbent Republican Commissioner.
Patel’s arrest record shows that the investigation was originally launched in October 2023. Mayers had called for authorities to investigate who was responsible for the comments that Patel had been receiving. Previously Patel had created a collage of all the hate comments he had received and had argued that they had come from supporters of the incumbent Commissioner. He had also argued that the messages were a representation of the Republican Party’s “deep and misguided fear.
In September 2023 in a post on Facebook Patel noted that as the County Commissioner Democratic candidate he was always open to receiving criticism for his position on policy and issues. However, he believed that it crossed the line when the supporters of his Republican opponent were hurling racist or anti-immigrant insults against him, his faith, and his community.
Law enforcement has pointed out that in making the fake messages Patel had used the face of the resident from Fort Bend without ever receiving his consent. Bobby Eberle, the chairman of the Fort Bend Republican party in a statement noted that the news of Patel’s arrest are “deeply concerning” and that these types of practices should be condemned.
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