Veteran Arrested Over Political Meme in Texas

A Texas sheriff’s office has reportedly taken a local military veteran into custody due to satirical posts made on social media.

The Hood County Sheriff’s Office stated he was arrested on a third-degree felony charge for “online false name/persona creation page.” However, his defense attorney argues that the arrest stemmed merely from a political meme shared online.

On November 5, authorities detained Colton Klottinger, a Navy veteran who runs Blue Branch Historic Ranch, which serves as a mental health center for veterans in Granbury.

Klottinger was allegedly taken into custody for a Facebook post dated October 2. The post featured fake screenshots that mimicked real posts from rival local activists, displaying the activist’s profile picture and name along with a message allegedly endorsing then-Granbury ISD school board candidate Monica Brown.

According to a complaint, the individual targeted by the post made it clear she did not support Brown and claimed the post misrepresented her beliefs about the election.

Rob Christian, Klottinger’s lawyer, described the post as simply a “meme.” He stated, “In my 25 years as a district attorney and criminal defense attorney, I have never seen anyone arrested for political speech,” during an interview.

Hood County Constable John Shirley mentioned that the purported impersonator has been very vocal in opposing Brown.

“This is a photo of a political billboard, and anyone aware of the account will recognize it’s fake and meant to be humorous,” Shirley pointed out.

He expressed his commitment to the First Amendment, stating, “This type of action is reminiscent of authoritarianism.” The Texas Penal Code prohibits using “the name or personality of another person” to harm or deceive.

Sheriff Roger Dees commented, “Since this matter is still under investigation, I can’t elaborate further,” yet the sheriff’s office addressed the incident on Facebook on November 10 by recognizing various social media posts about community bullying and intimidation. The bulletin clarified that while some postings might seem offensive or threatening, much of it is protected by the First Amendment.

This announcement included references to high-profile cases involving similar concerns. It concluded by encouraging other potential victims to report incidents.

Klottinger’s arrest spurred former Hood County Republican Party Chairman Nate Criswell to initiate an online petition urging the district attorney to dismiss the charges. He criticized the arrest, stating it was for “felony-level trolling.”

Texas Attorney General candidate Aaron Reitz weighed in, noting that Klottinger’s actions appeared innocent and did not seem to meet the criteria for online impersonation under the law. He speculated that charges might ultimately be dropped.

Reitz expressed concerns regarding the potential loss of First Amendment rights, suggesting that if Klottinger was indeed wronged, he might seek recourse under federal law. Nevertheless, he doubts this will lead to any significant change.

On Wednesday, Brown, the former school board candidate mentioned earlier, filed a complaint regarding Klottinger’s treatment during his arrest. She claimed he was subjected to excessive measures including handcuffs and solitary confinement, all for sharing what she deemed a harmless meme related to local election politics.