Texas city council candidate arrested for alleged possession of child pornography

Hood County Sheriff’s Office

Brad Benson, a candidate for the Granbury City Council in Texas, was arrested on charges of possessing child pornography just one day before the local election.

FOX 4 in Dallas reported the arrest, with Benson facing two counts related to the possession of such illicit material.

The Hood County Republican Party, of which Benson is affiliated, initially responded to the arrest with a statement on Facebook noting the serious nature of the offense and their lack of information at the time. The party emphasized that if the allegations were indeed true, such actions would be completely at odds with their values and not tolerated.

"If these allegations are true, there is no way the party would ever condone such activity," the county Republicans wrote.

Following further discussions with law enforcement and confirmation of the details surrounding Benson's arrest, the Hood County GOP firmly retracted its endorsement of Benson.

"Crimes of this degree tear at the heart and soul of society, and we condemn them in the strongest terms," the post read.

"The Republican Party stands for conservative, family values and the protection of children. These heinous acts are antithetical to what Republicans stand for. It is time for the justice system to act and if Mr. Benson is proven guilty, the punishment needs to be swift and severe."

The Hood County District Attorney's office, upon executing a search warrant at Benson's home, confirmed the discovery of child pornography. The investigation, involving multiple agencies, is still active, and the DA’s office has refrained from providing further details pending the ongoing investigation.