Texas House member wins re-election from jail cell
MISSOURI CITY, Texas — Democrat Ron Reynolds won a fifth term as state representative from behind bars.
Reynolds, 45, who ran unopposed on Tuesday, turned himself into the Montgomery County Jail after being found guilty of five counts of barratry on Sept. 7.
The Missouri City lawyer was convicted in 2015 on charges of illegally soliciting clients and was sentenced to a year in jail. He turned himself in after he ran out of appeals.
After being taken to jail, his office released a statement which included, in part: “Rep. Reynolds has full confidence that his experienced staff will be able to handle any immediate needs of his constituents, during his 4-6 month absence.”
According to the Texas Tribune, Reynolds’ conviction stemmed from a “2012 undercover investigation that revealed a chiropractic firm was persuading patients who had been injured in accidents to sign contracts that named Reynolds as their legal counsel before the patients had physical exams or even met him.”
It is unclear if he will have to serve his full year behind bars or if he will be let out in time for the start of the Texas Legislature, which begins its 86th regular session on Jan. 8.
