A local preacher and mayor has been arrested and charged with a state jail felony.
Hempstead Mayor Michael Shane Wolfe was arrested last Thursday, October 3rd, on charges of Abuse of Official Capacity, according to the Waller County District Attorney’s Office.
Some in the county may recognize the name, as Wolfe also pastors at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Anderson.
Wolfe was arrested after an audit of the city budget showed inconsistencies in delinquent utility accounts of Wolfe and his daughter. According to findings, Wolfe was showed owing over $10,000 in delinquent utility bills to the City of Hempstead.
Wolfe says he was aware of the delinquency on the bill, but never removed his name from the disconnect list. He did, however, confess to removing his daughter’s name from the list, who owed around $9,000. Wolfe has said he gave other residents extensions, and saw no reason to treat his daughter differently.
Wolfe has stated he does not intend to resign from his position following his arrest. He was released after posting $5,000 bond.
Updates will come as we get them here on Willy 1550 and 98.7 FM.