An early morning raid on a Granbury City Council candidate’s home and vehicle by state troopers on Monday allegedly yielded evidence that he had child pornography in his possession.
Brad Benson, recognized for his role as the deputy fire marshal and his involvement with the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department, was arrested on November 6 on two counts of possession of child pornography. These accusations constitute a first-degree felony, punishable by a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life.
An alleged witness to Benson’s arrest told Hood County News that the police operation at the council candidate’s home took place at around 6 a.m. and involved up to 40 patrol vehicles.
Benson is currently being held at Hood County jail on a bond of $200,000, according to jail records.
He nonetheless still appeared on Tuesday’s ballot as a candidate for Granbury City Council Place 4.
The Republican Party of Hood County, having initially supported Benson’s candidacy, was quick to issue a public statement addressing the allegations and withdrawing its support for Benson.
“Crimes of this degree tear at the heart and soul of society, and we condemn them in the strongest terms. The Republican Party stands for conservative family values and the protection of children. These heinous acts are antithetical to what Republicans stand for,” the statement reads.
As child sex crimes continue to be reported across North Texas among educators, elected officials, and others, a total of 49 pornography offenses and 646 sex offenses — with victims reported as having a median age of 16 — have been logged in Dallas this year, according to the City’s crime overview dashboard.
The Dallas Police Department has been laboring against a shortage of officers, which has made responding to crime in general more challenging, as has been extensively covered by The Dallas Express. Fewer than 3,200 sworn personnel currently serve in the department despite a City analysis estimating that Dallas needs approximately 4,000 officers to manage crime sufficiently.
