A pretrial hearing was held today in the 3rd degree felony theft case against Brown County Commissioner Wayne Shaw.

Visiting Judge Jim Rex of Andrews, Texas will preside over the trial which will begin after jury selection on February 10, 2015.

Heath Hemphill of Coleman County will serve as the special prosecutor.  Shaw is represented by criminal defense attorney Terry W. Yates of Bellaire, Texas

Shaw was indicted by a Brown County Grand Jury in July of 2014.  The indictment states that Shaw, on or about April 30th unlawfully appropriated , by acquiring or otherwise exercising control over, county owned gravel valued at more than $1500 and less than $20,000 without the effective consent of the owner and with intent to deprive the owner of the property.

Shaw was (and continues to be) a public servant, a Brown County Commissioner and the property had come into his custody, possession or control by virtue of his status as a public servant, according to the indictment.

Shaw turned himself in to the Brown County Jail at approximately 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 5th on the charge and was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.

According to a Brown County Sheriff’s report released May 2, 2014, on Wednesday night April 30th, Brown County Deputy Byron Langley was dispatched to the area of FM 3100 and County Road 351 regarding suspicious activity.  According to the report, Deputy Langley observed a male on an orange front loading tractor, loading loose gravel from a pile at the intersection into a dump trailer attached to a pickup. The male stated that he had been given permission to take the gravel by Precinct Commissioner Wayne Shaw.  No other information about the indictment has been released.