A former Tarrant County Justice of the Peace has been convicted of tampering with a government record.
According to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, Jacqueline Wright, who was justice of the peace for Precinct 4 from 1991 to 2018, was found guilty on three counts of falsifying homestead exemptions by a Tarrant County jury on Wednesday.
Visiting Judge Daryl Coffey sentenced her to four years probation, 10 days in jail and a $2,500 fine, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office said.
The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office said the judge also required her to write a 50-page essay apologizing to the court and public for her behavior. The essay must be written and published in the next 90 days.
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According to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, 74-year-old Wright committed the felony crimes by falsely applying for and receiving a homestead exemption for a home where she did not live between 2015 and 2018.
During the trial, testimony revealed Wright was not living in Precinct 4, as required, when she ran for re-election as Justice of the Peace between 2012 and 2018, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office said.
Testimony also showed the day after Wright filed for re-election in 2018, she changed a water bill into her name to make it appear that she lived in a home which she leased to a renter in Precinct 4, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office said.
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Jacqueline Wright "knows what the law is, she knows what she is doing, she wanted the tax benefits," Whelchel, chief of the White Collar and Public Integrity team, told the jury. "She is guilty of this crime."
According to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office, the office began investigating the case after receiving a complaint that Wright did not live in the district where she sought re-election.
During the investigation, fraudulent homestead exemptions were found, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office said.
"It was [Wright's] job to serve the public, not be a deceiver. That is what she did for a long time. That is what the public integrity unit is about, to hold us accountable," Whelchel said. "We ask you to hold her accountable for what she has done, no matter what the lie was, and hold her and all of us public officials accountable."
