Timeline: Big Bend Times’ Investigations into Jeff Davis County Corruption and the Troubling Pattern of Public Misconduct

Stand With Big Bend Times Against Corruption

Since its founding, Big Bend Times has been committed to uncovering the truth and holding public officials accountable. Our reporting has revealed a disturbing pattern of misconduct, abuse of power, and questionable government actions in Jeff Davis County—not just directed at us, but also affecting the community at large.

This timeline documents our ongoing investigations into misconduct by public officials and entities that use taxpayer funds, including efforts to obstruct transparency, misuse of legal mechanisms, and suspicious or unethical activities. It also highlights direct retaliation against our reporting—ranging from stonewalling records requests to false criminal allegations.

By mapping out these events, we expose a troubling cycle of secrecy, retaliation, and misuse of authority in Jeff Davis County, reinforcing why public scrutiny is essential and why investigative journalism matters now more than ever.

• Fort Davis JP’s First Encounter With Journalist Marked by Hostility and Inappropriate Behavior – September 12, 2023

• State Park Police Officer’s Decision Puts Community at Risk Near Davis Mountains State Park – September 15, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Employee Screams at Journalist Buying Bread, Turns Bakery Into a Battleground – October 8, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Officials Silent on EMS Supervisor’s Reprimand as Activist Exposes Secrecy – October 10, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Attorney Admits to Breach of Confidentiality – October 10, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Filed Bogus Report Accusing Journalist of Disorderly Conduct, Trespassing, and Evading Arrest — No Charges Filed – October 10, 2023

• Community Members Speak Out Against Troubling Behavior by Park Officer Near Davis Mountains State Park – October 13, 2023

• Cleaning Up Local Government: How My Efforts Led to Multiple Threats of False Charges by the Jeff Davis County Attorney – October 13, 2023

• Jeff Davis County JP Raises Concerns Over Constable’s Handling of Warrants – October 17, 2023

• Childish Games in the Halls of Justice: Jeff Davis County Attorney Plays Peekaboo, Literally – October 17, 2023

• First Amendment Clash: Jeff Davis JP Selectively Restricts Reporter’s Rights to Record Government Interactions in her County Offices – October 17, 2023

• Pattern of Concern: A Series of Unprofessional Incidents at Jeff Davis County Raises Questions About Government Transparency – October 17, 2023

• Jeff Davis JP’s Illegal Detention Attempt and Arrest Threat: A Stark Reminder of Press Freedom Challenges – October 19, 2023

• Jeff Davis Sheriff Considers Involving Rangers to Investigate Criminal Misconduct in JP’s Office – October 19, 2023

• Publisher Delivered Peace Offering to Sheriff’s Office Before County’s Retaliation Escalated – October 20, 2023

• Fort Davis Judge Accused of Secretly Labeling Journalist a “First Amendment Auditor” in Law Enforcement Alert – October 20, 2023

• Second Bogus Evading Arrest Case Filed Against Journalist in Jeff Davis County — No Charges Filed – October 22, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Twists Tax Law Inquiry Into ‘Harassment’ in Ongoing Retaliatory Case – November 2023

• Concerns Arise Over Jeff Davis County Justice of the Peace Communication Practices – November 3, 2023

• Unfit for the Bench: Mary Ann Luedecke’s Flagrant Disregard for the Law and Press Freedom – November 3, 2023

• “When I Get Around to It”: Sheriff Kitts’ Timeline for Fixing Malware Issues Hampering Office’s Operations – December 18, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Enlists Austin Firm to Shield Hundreds of Pages from Public Eye in Response to Records Request – December 18, 2023

• A Mistake or Something More? The Tangled Web of Justice in Jeff Davis County – December 19, 2023

• Jeff Davis County’s Extensive but Fruitless Investigation Against Publisher Reveals a Troubling Misuse of Resources – December 30, 2023

• Fort Davis Chamber’s $100K+ HOT Funds Mishandling: Ineffective Website Damages Local Tourism and Business – December 31, 2023

• Mobile Comunidad’s Financial Transparency Questioned Amidst Expanding Community Services – December 31, 2023

• Mobile Comunidad Responds with Threats to Queries on Financial Transparency – December 31, 2023

• Jeff Davis County Spends Over $14K to Keep Public Records Hidden: What Are They Hiding? – January 2024

• Fort Davis ISD Superintendent’s Promotion of David Barton’s Views Raises Questions on Academic Integrity – January 1, 2024

• Absence of Policy Manual in Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office Raises Questions on Law Enforcement Protocol – January 5, 2024

• Absence of Policy Manual in Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office Raises Questions on Law Enforcement Protocol – January 25, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Hires Second Law Firm in Records Dispute with Big Bend Times Publisher – February 16, 2024

• Big Bend Times Publisher Offers Settlement to Jeff Davis County Amid Public Records Dispute – April 23, 2024

• Locked Doors at Jeff Davis County Justice Office Signal Accessibility Issues – April 23, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Judge Curtis Evans Orders Removal of Big Bend Times Publisher from Courthouse, Deputies Threaten Arrest – April 23, 2024

• Publisher Arrested in Jeff Davis County in Retaliation for Investigative Reporting – April 25, 2024

• Publisher Harassed by Local Law Enforcement, Threatened with Arrest for Approaching Courthouse – April 28, 2024

• Publisher Harassed by Local Law Enforcement, Threatened with Arrest for Approaching Courthouse – June 14, 2024

• County Employee Accused of Felony Misuse of Police Records After Confronting Journalist, Then Libeling Him in Government “Burn Book” – July 1, 2024

• Investigation Missteps by Jeff Davis County Law Enforcement Leave Murder Unresolved – July 6, 2024

• Internet Reacts to Photo of Jeff Davis County Deputy: Mixed Opinions and Strong Reactions – July 7, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Issued False Warrant Notice, Delayed Court Date for Months, and Blocked Driver’s License Renewal – July 21, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Grapples with Rising Thefts Amid Sheriff’s Office Silence – July 19, 2024

• Fort Davis Chamber’s Incomplete Website Undermines Local Business and Tourism – August 30, 2024

• Harassment Drives Out Successful Startup: Jeff Davis County Misses a Major Opportunity – September 20, 2024

• Conflict of Interest: Jeff Davis County Prosecutes Publisher Amid Active Civil Claims – October 4, 2024

• Opinion: County Attorney Glen Eisen’s Admitted Lack of Experience Leads to Costly Mistakes – October 4, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Spends Over $14K to Hide Records from Public Who Paid for Them, Rejects Offer to Avoid Lawsuit – October 26, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office Faces Mounting Criticism Amid Years of Mismanagement and Mishandled Investigations – October 16, 2024

• Decline in Sales Tax Allocations Highlights Challenges for Jeff Davis County Tourism – October 19, 2024

• Judicial Process Under Scrutiny in Jeff Davis County Over Alleged Procedural Missteps – October 22, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Business Owner Logs Time for Lawsuit: A Slice of Life Under Legal Harassment – October 22, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Sends Third False Warrant Notice, Falsely Places Journalist in Collections, Denies License Renewal – October 26, 2024

• Crossing Lines: Judge Luedecke’s Pattern of Intimidation Contrasts Starkly with Christian Virtues – October 30, 2024

• Administrative Incompetence or Intentional Malfeasance? Jeff Davis County Issues FTA Warnings Without Court Dates – November 1, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Attorney’s Email Missteps Highlighted in Traffic Citation Controversy – November 1, 2024

• Fort Davis Under Scrutiny for Practices Resembling Nations Flagged by U.S. State Department Travel Advisories – November 1, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Faces New Civil Rights Claim from Big Bend Times Amid Ongoing Harassment Allegations – November 4, 2024

• $70K County Truck Raises Questions; Jeff Davis Officials Yet to Respond – November 28, 2024

• Standing Strong: Challenging Jeff Davis County’s Accusations of False Reporting – December 10, 2024

• “Megaphone” of Truth: Jeff Davis County Attorney Admits Legal Actions Motivated by Our Coverage – December 10, 2024

• Glen Eisen Garners Limited Support in Jeff Davis County Attorney Write-In Campaign – December 18, 2024

• Jeff Davis County Officials Wrongly Portray Local Publisher as Threat, Reveals County Attorney – December 18, 2024

• Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce’s Website Sees Decline in SEO Performance – December 24, 2024

• Persistent Questions Surround $70K County Truck as Jeff Davis Officials Remain Silent – January 1, 2025

• Jeff Davis County’s 2025 Budget Faces Scrutiny Over $350K in Federal Funds Amid Management Concerns – January 2, 2025

• Former Jeff Davis Sheriff and Deputy Face Scrutiny for Mishandling JP’s Misconduct and Targeting Journalist – January 6, 2025

• Analysis Raises Questions on Jeff Davis County’s Financial Competence Amid Missing Current Fiscal Data – January 9, 2025

• Jeff Davis County: A Troubling Pattern of Retaliation Against Political Opponents – January 16, 2025

• Jeff Davis County Pursues False Traffic Citation in Most Expensive Prosecution of Its Kind – January 20, 2025

• Jeff Davis County’s Budget Under Scrutiny for Unusual Allocations – January 21, 2025

• Terroristic Threat Charge Dropped as Dubious Harassment Case Moves Forward in Jeff Davis County – March 15, 2025

• Jeff Davis County Remains Lone Holdout on Grant Records, Despite Neighboring Counties’ Compliance – March 17, 2025

• Sheriff Appoints Adriana Ruiloba as Chief Deputy in Jeff Davis County – March 23, 2025

• County Employee Accused of Felony Misuse of Police Records After Confronting Journalist, Then Libeling Him in Government “Burn Book” – April 14, 2025

• County Attorney’s Written Statement Raises Questions About Bias, Ad Hominem Tone in Journalist Case – April 14, 2025

• Jeff Davis County Officials Pose for Smear Site While It Reveals More About Them Than Their Target – May 5, 2025

• Court Overturns Jeff Davis County’s Illegal Ban Blocking Journalist From Public Buildings – June 13, 2025

• Big Bend Times Publisher Alleges Assault, Removal From Public Meeting by Jeff Davis County Officials – June 28, 2025

• Jeff Davis County-Backed Smear Site Exploits Shooting Death of Journalist’s Brother – June 29, 2025

• County Judge Curtis Evans Calls Journalist ‘Crazy,’ Suggests Additional Criminal Charges Without Basis – June 29, 2025

• Jeff Davis County Judge Comments Publicly to Endorse Smear Site Targeting Local Journalist – June 30, 2025

• Jeff Davis County Drops Disorderly Charge Against Journalist Who Was Assaulted at Meeting – July 24, 2025

• Deputy Who Assaulted Journalist at Public Meeting Remains on Duty as County Ignores Complaint – July 27, 2025

• Tip Raises Concerns Over Jeff Davis County Deputy’s Social Media Activity – August 3, 2025

• Local Reporter’s False Arrest Entered into National Press Freedom Database – August 3, 2025

• All charges dismissed in Jeff Davis County cases against Big Bend Times publisher – August 10, 2025

• Emails show Jeff Davis County secretly supplied video to smear site, denied release and kept no records – September 2, 2025

• Audit: Jeff Davis County Spent Over $27,000 on Outside Lawyers in 2024 Defending Against Tort Claims and Records Disputes – September 18, 2025

• Fort Davis Ham Radio Operator Linked to Anonymous Smear Site Targeting Big Bend Times — Obsession Remains a Mystery – January 5, 2026