Upshur County Sheriff Charged with Breaking Gag Order

LONGVIEW — Upshur County Sheriff Anthony Betterton is facing charges of violating a gag order because he announced his bid for re-election this week. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Betterton declined to comment Friday on his re-election campaign citing that he has been charged with violating a gag order. The order is on a case that is unrelated to his bid to be named Upshur County’s sheriff for his fourth consecutive term.

Betterton is facing charges of official oppression and gift to a public servant by a person in his jurisdiction. He was indicted in December along with County Judge Dean Fowler and Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree, who are each charged with official oppression and abuse of capacity, after a man was removed from a Commissioners Court meeting when he repeatedly wore duct tape over his mouth to protest that public comment had been removed from agendas. District Judge Lauren Parish put a gag order on the case before recusing herself.