DA confirms 2021 investigation into threat against Brock

James Stainton, 271st District Attorney, confirmed last Friday that his office conducted an investigation last year into an alleged threat against a county commissioner.

The alleged threat investigated by Stainton’s office was made against then Jack County Commissioner for Precinct 2, James Brock, and was the reason for Brock’s resignation last April. Brock’s resignation letter was filed with the county clerk and read during a Jack County Commissioners Court meeting on April 26, 2021.

“Please accept this letter as my immediate notice of my resignation, effective April 26, 2021 upon delivery at 8:00 a.m.,” Brock wrote in his resignation letter. “I received a threat on April 25, 2021 that I took as a direct threat of my life according to how I vote in the matter of the Windmills.”

The alleged threat made against Brock was recently referenced in a petition filed Thursday, Jan. 19 by Jacksboro resident Rod Heltzel, to remove Jack County Judge Keith Umphress from office. The petition was dismissed by 271st District Court Judge Brock Smith on Monday, Jan. 24.

According to Umphress, Brock visited his office within a couple of days after resigning from his position as commissioner. During the interaction, Brock gave Umphress an envelope containing a letter which included the name of the person who had made the alleged threat.

Umphress claimed he opened the letter, re-sealed it, initialed the tape and then placed the letter in his safe. The letter was turned over to Stainton within two days of receiving it from Brock.

“There was a letter, it was turned over, it was investigated,” Stainton said.

According to Stainton, the evidence turned over to him was enough for his office to begin investigating the alleged threat made against Brock.

“Clearly, there was enough there to get engaged,” he said. “(...) There was enough to engage folks in law enforcement to get me an answer to my question. Is there an actionable felony or an actionable crime here? Or not?”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Feb. 2 edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.