Fire marshal's office goes up in flames
Liberty County District Attorney Jennifer Bergman holds a press conference on Wednesday morning to address charges against the fire marshal and his two deputies this week.
Liberty County Fire Marshal Bill Hergemueller, Deputy Nat Holcomb and Deputy Jesse McGraw were arrested this week on multiple charges.
LIBERTY – Attentions are on the office of the Liberty County Fire Marshal after he and his two deputies were arrested on charges of theft, official oppression and tampering with evidence.
News of the arrest broke late Monday, Sept. 23, that Fire Marshal William "Bill" Hergemueller, who also serves as coordinator of the Office of Emergency Management, and assistants Erskine "Nat" Holcomb and Jesse McGraw had all been booked into the Liberty County Jail.
An investigation by the Texas Rangers into the men has been ongoing for some time, and information offers several incidents of alleged impropriety, including the theft of property at several accident scenes, as well as conducting inspections across the county without the proper licenses.
On Wednesday morning, District Attorney Jennifer Bergman held a press conference on the south side of the Liberty County Courthouse to discuss some of the charges against the trio.
She noted that Hergemueller serves as fire marshal and chief of the South Liberty County Hazardous Team, which appears to be at the center of some of the fallout that led to the investigation.
"Complaints were investigated where towing companies were led to believe by Hergemueller that he runs Liberty County and will send an invoice to them for services," Bergman said.
According to Bergman, the hazmat company receives government funds as a contractor to the county.
The allegations reveal that on more than one occasion, items, including diesel and food, were stolen from accident scenes by Hergemueller and Holcomb.
It was also revealed during the press conference that neither Hergemueller nor his deputies had the proper licensing to conduct inspections. According to multiple sources, all three men provided inspection services across the county, including in municipalities.
One of the arrest affidavits that Liberty County J.P. Pct. 3 Cody Parrish approved shines a light on that charge.
"Defendants employees inspected schools, businesses, the Liberty County Jail and gas stations and signed the certificate of occupancy documents," reads the arrest affidavits.
Questions surrounding that licensing were directed to the county attorney's office. It was independently confirmed that Hergemueller had a year to complete those requirements after he was hired, and the commissioner's court will address his employment going forward on Friday.
Bergman told reporters that her office would hold officials accountable if the need arises and assured county residents that her office would comment no further to protect the investigation's integrity.
"Liberty County is a place where you can find justice, and Liberty County is a place where we hold wrongdoers accountable. That's my commitment," Bergman said.
Hergemueller is facing charges of official oppression, theft of property and two counts of tampering or fabricating evidence with intent to impair. Holcomb is also facing theft of property and tampering with governmental records, while McGraw is looking at tampering with governmental records and tampering or fabricating evidence with intent to impair.