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Former Elgin mayor indicted on theft charge

The former mayor could face up to 10 years of confinement.

ELGIN, Texas — On Monday, the Travis County District Attorney's Office announced the indictment of Elgin's former mayor, 37-year-old Christopher Cannon, on a theft of property charge, a third-degree felony.

He is accused of theft of equal to or greater than $30,000 but less than $150,000. The offense is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and/or confinement not to exceed 10 years.

Officials say Cannon, a licensed insurance agent, is accused of acquiring payments from Baker's Backhoe Services but failing to submit them to obtain insurance policies.

This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Insurance's (TDI) Fraud Unit. The prosecution will be handled by the Travis County District Attorney's Public Integrity Complex Crimes Unit.

“The alleged theft occurred over a five-year span between January 2015 and August 2019,” said TDI Prosecutor Brian Chandler. ”As a result of the theft, the victim company didn’t have any insurance coverage during that time. Fortunately, the company didn’t need to rely upon the insurance they thought they’d purchased, otherwise, the company could have suffered financial ruin.”

“Our office will hold accountable powerful actors who violate our laws,” added Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “This was a collaborative effort between our office and the Texas Department of Insurance, and I appreciate our partnership.”

Cannon was arrested on Wednesday, May 4. His next court setting is May 19 in the 331st District Court.

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