January 14, 2025
The Paper Of Record for Fannin County Texas Serving all of Fannin County
224 N. Main St., Bonham, TX 75418 For 52 Years Locally owned & operated fcleditor2020@gmail.com Circulation 15,000+ - Bailey, Bonham, Dodd City, Ector, www.fannincountyleader.us
Gober, Honey Grove, Ivanhoe, Ladonia, Leonard, Randolph, Ravenna, Savoy, Telephone, Trenton & Windom
Ph: 903-583-3280 • Fax 903-583-3945
Is Your Heating - A/C System Needing to be Serviced or Replaced?
6/17/14 TACLB005958C
100% Financing Available WAC 903-587-2161 Servicing All of Fannin County
4-27-21
903-821-7663
www.toproof.net BONDED/FULLY INSURED
Tommy Stapleton, Owner
Serving North Texas Area Since 1981
Former Fannin County District Attorney speaks on Spanky Carter theft charges 07/02/19
By Garrett Stringfellow KXII Published: Jan. 3, 2025 at 6:10 PM CST BONHAM, Texas (KXII) - On Friday, former Fannin County District Attorney Richard Glaser spoke with News 12 about the theft charges being brought against former judge Spanky Carter and five others. “Somebody’s responsible for the misdeeds and the mis-
● Recipe page 3 ● Birthdays page 2 ● Faith Page 11 ● Sports page 5 The Leader’s ● Legals and Emp pages 14, 16, 17 Website & E-Edition ● Obituaries page 13 Access ● Business Card pages 6, 10 ● Classifieds pages 12, 15
handling of this courthouse,” Glaser said. “A lot of money was involved and it’s not supposed to go to somebody individually in their pocket.” Six people are facing firstdegree felony theft charges in Fannin County. Those include former Fannin County Judge Creta “Spanky” Carter, current Precinct Two Commissioner Allen Self, former Precinct Four Commissioner Dean Lackey,
Architexas employees David Chase and Anne Stimmel, and Carter’s accountant Michael Rigler. The date of the offense for all is listed as September 29, 2021. Glaser said all the charges are related to the Fannin County Courthouse project and the loss of taxpayer dollars. “When you’re dealing with taxpayer money, the taxpay-
ers expect their elected officials to be honorable, to have some integrity,” he said. Glaser said the problem is that commissioners indicated to the public that it would be about a $17 million project. In reality, Glaser said it turned out to be closer to a $29 million dollar project. Last January, News 12 reported that Fannin County Judge Newt Cunningham was exploring legal options
INSURANCE CLAIMS SPECIALIST
against the architecture firm and others hired by the county for the courthouse restoration project, which failed inspection the previous August, leaving county officials to deal with repairs. Due to the open investigation, Glaser couldn’t speak to the exact amount of money involved in the theft or how it was stolen. The court documents show that all six were indicted for theft of property greater than $150,000 but less than $300,000. In a statement, Carter’s attorney said that “Judge Carter
adamantly denies the allegations” and that the whole thing is “a political witchhunt” and “small-town politics.” Glaser disagrees. “I will tell you also that the FBI has been investigating this case, so it’s not a small matter of local politics,” Glaser said. In addition to the criminal and potential federal charges, the county is also exploring civil charges to potentially try Continued
Former
See on page 2
214-616-2529 Water Damage from your AC line, hot water heater, busted pipe or roof damage? 24/7 Emergency Water Mitigation Structural Drying Fire & Smoke Restoration Residential & Commercial
www.spartanmit.com