Former Elgin mayor pleads guilty to felony theft charge

Former Elgin Mayor Christopher Cannon pleaded guilty to theft of property on June 20, according to a news release on Wednesday from the Travis County' district attorney's office.

Cannon, 38, pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony. He was accused of stealing an amount more than $30,000 but less than $150,000, according to public records.

The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. As part of the plea, Cannon was sentenced to 10 years of community service at 50 hours per year, according to public records.

According to the DA's office, Cannon, a licensed insurance agent, acquired payments from Baker’s Backhoe Services between Jan. 17, 2015, and Aug. 21, 2019, but failed to submit those payments to obtain insurance policies.

He was indicted by a grand jury on April 26, 2022, for theft of property. He was arrested on May 4, 2022, by Elgin police with the assistance of the Texas Department of Insurance investigators, according to the release from the DA's office.

“Our office is committed to holding accountable powerful actors who violate our laws,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “We appreciate our partnership with the Texas Department of Insurance in ensuring that the victims, in this case, received the justice they rightfully deserve.”

The investigation was conducted by Texas Department of Insurance's fraud unit. The Travis County district attorney's office's public integrity and complex crimes unit was in charge of prosecuting the case.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Former Elgin mayor pleads guilty to felony property theft charge