Attorney General: Cherokee County Sheriff Had No Right to Control Inmate Phone Money

Ken Paxton - Photo Credit: Chron

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas (TXAN 24) — In a major development in Cherokee County, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has issued Opinion KP-0495 clarifying who controls the revenue generated from inmate phone-card sales. The opinion draws a clear line: funds derived from inmate telephone privileges must be deposited into the county’s general fund—not funneled into accounts solely controlled by the sheriff.

According to the AG’s office, only funds related to commissary purchases with no connection to inmate phone privileges fall under the sheriff’s exclusive control. The opinion further reinforces that the Cherokee County Commissioners Court holds the authority to reinstate systems such as PIN debit for inmate calls, as long as the system complies with Texas Commission on Jail Standards regulations.

This legal opinion arrives amid serious allegations against Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson. According to multiple internal sources who contacted TXAN 24 News, the sheriff was recently caught by the county auditor attempting to redirect revenue from the county’s inmate phone system into an account he alone controlled—bypassing the commissioners court entirely. That fund allowed the sheriff to spend without oversight or approval.

The situation has escalated tensions between the sheriff’s office and county leaders, with the auditor and commissioners court standing firm against what they describe as improper and unauthorized financial practices. This incident is the latest in what insiders describe as a growing list of questionable behavior by Sheriff Dickson.

Sources inside county government say they are no longer afraid of retaliation and are stepping forward to expose what they see as long-standing abuses of power.

With mounting public pressure, many are now asking: What will the county judge and commissioners do to rein in the leadership failures at the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office?

TXAN 24 News will continue to follow this developing story.