WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was indicted on Sept. 28 on charges related to the Javier Ambler case. The sheriff is accused of destroying video and audio recordings in Amber's case.
He was booked into jail and was released on a $10,000 bond the same day. Jason Nassour, an Austin-based lawyer who served as the general counsel for the Williamson County Attorney's Office from 2017 to August 2020, was booked for the same charge.
Shortly after the sheriff's mugshot was released, many people on social media noted that Chody's booking photo looks different from other booking photos for people who are charged in Williamson County.
Sheriff Chody's mugshot was taken in front of a Williamson County Sheriff's Office logo as opposed to a plain background. Typically, booking photos at the Williamson County jail are taken with the inmate standing against a plain, light blue background. In addition, it seems a different camera was used to capture a better quality photo of Chody smiling in a suit.
The sheriff's mugshot can be found below:
On Facebook, one user said it "looks like he got a promotion instead of a mugshot," adding that the sheriff should be treated like anyone else committed for a crime. Others said it appeared he took his own booking photo.
KVUE has reached out to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office for the policy manual regarding booking photos.
Sheriff Chody isn't the only elected official who has been charged in recent years. Here's a look back at the booking photos of other Austin-area officials.
Jana Duty, former Williamson County district attorney
Jana Duty, a former Williamson County district attorney, turned herself in back in August 2015 to serve a sentence for contempt of court.
She was sentenced to 10 days in jail, but spent a weekend behind bars and was released for good behavior. In April 2019, Duty was found dead at a home in Rockport, Texas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton turned himself into jail in 2015 on felony securities fraud charges.
He was released shortly after he was booked on a $35,000 bond. Fast forward five years later and the attorney general still hasn't gone to trial.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry
While serving as the governor of Texas, Rick Perry was indicted in 2014 by a Travis County grand jury.
The indictment was for two felony counts of abuse of power. The former governor was later cleared of all charges.
Rosemary Lehmberg, former Travis County district attorney
Former Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was arrested in 2013 following her high-profile DWI arrest and conviction. She pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated after she was arrested with a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
As for Sheriff Chody's indictment, he denies any wrongdoing, adding that Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick has a political agenda.
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