BEAUMONT — A former Jefferson County District Judge, two current sheriff’s employees and a former sheriff’s chief deputy have turned themselves in after a special grand jury handed down felony indictments against the four Wednesday.

William Ralph Layne Walker, former 252^nd District Court judge, is charged with abuse of official capacity, a state jail felony. John Kolnader, an investigator with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Timothy Smith, chief deputy; along with Steve Broussard, former sergeant with the sheriff’s department; are charged with tampering with physical evidence and tampering with government records.

Tampering with physical evidence is a third degree felony. Tampering with government records is a state jail felony.

All four turned themselves in Thursday and bonded out on personal recognizance bonds.

The indictments are in connection with a 2013 incident occurring in Walker’s courtroom when Steve Hartman attempted to serve the judge with a federal summons for a civil rights complaint filed by Port Arthur attorney Stella Morrison.

At the time, as Hartman attempted to serve Walker the court papers at the judge’s place of employment, he was charged with interrupting a court proceeding.

The three deputies worked as court bailiffs when Hartman attempted to serve Walker.

Hartman, who worked for private investigator Philip Klein, filmed the exchange with a surveillance pen that contradicted accounts that he had been disruptive in court.

The sheriff’s deputies are accused of tampering with evidence related to the charges filed against Hartman in 2013.

Charges against Hartman were dropped last year.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office issued a statement in response to an indictment handed down Wednesday.

“We are certainly surprised by the turn of events. This was totally unexpected. We will take the necessary steps to ensure the integrity and credibility of the Sheriff’s Office as we have always done in the past,” Jefferson County Sheriff Mitch Woods said in the Thursday press release.

The ruling, he said, was made yesterday after business hours.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Deputy Marcus McLellan said both Kolander and Smith were placed on administrative leave.

Walker has stated he is innocent and will fight the charges.

The case has handled by a special prosecutor Josh Schaeffer, with the Schaeffer Law firm. Schaeffer has not returned The News calls for comment on this story.

Walker served as former judge of the 252^nd District Court in Beaumont from 2003 until 2014 before stepping down to do consulting work for the Provost Umphrey Law Firm in 2015.

Walker is the son of former Jefferson County Judge Ron Walker.

Broussard is retired from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

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