Newly released footage shows a Hood County Sheriff’s deputy arresting activist Kolton Krottinger after he posted a satirical political meme on Facebook that appeared to impersonate another local activist.
As The Dallas Express reported, Krottinger was arrested on November 5 and charged with Online Impersonation, a third-degree felony under Texas law that bans using another person’s “name or persona” to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten.
A criminal complaint obtained earlier by The Dallas Express alleged Krottinger created a post that looked as though it came from another activist and showed support for Granbury ISD school board candidate Monica Brown — someone the alleged victim “very openly, loudly, and publicly hates,” according to Hood County Constable John Shirley.
Independent journalist Sarah Fields obtained the new arrest footage. The video shows a deputy following Krottinger into a gas station parking lot, boxing him in and arresting him. It also shows Krottinger stepping out of his vehicle, walking toward the deputy, and offering his hands for handcuffs. Krottinger did not resist and cooperated throughout the arrest.
Krottinger’s attorney — CJ Grisham, representing him in this follow-up — told The Dallas Express that the sheriff’s office allegedly threatened to arrest others who shared the meme at the center of the case. The legal team continues to argue the arrest is retaliation for protected political speech.
After the arrest drew widespread attention, the Hood County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement saying it had “been made aware of numerous social media posts with regards to bullying, harassment, threats and similar, directed towards citizens in our community.”
“The Sheriff’s Office does not condone any such illegal acts and will serve in every legal capacity to protect the victims of such occurrences,” the statement read. The department added that while much online speech is protected, certain conduct can still violate state law. It referenced Krottinger’s case by stating that “these acts may sometimes constitute a criminal offense, such as the example below, from a recent and notable case.”
Krottinger’s attorney later said the court lifted Krottinger’s social media ban. “Now to get the charges dismissed completely,” Grisham told The Dallas Express.
Users online reacted strongly to the footage.
“This fills me with a violent rage,” X user RINO Hunter posted.
Another user, Chthonic One, wrote, “This is 100% deprivation of rights under color of law.”
The Dallas Express reached out to the Hood County Sheriff’s Office for comment about the newly released footage but did not receive a response.