BELL COUNTY, Texas — A Central Texas police chief has been arrested after a grand jury indictment accused him of misusing city funds while leading another department.
Buckholts Police Chief Johnny Shawn Newsom turned himself in following a Sept. 24 indictment by a Bell County grand jury. The charges stem from his previous role as Holland Police Chief, where he was fired in January 2024 for alleged misuse of city debit cards.
Prosecutors with the 27th Judicial District Attorney’s Office charged Newsom with theft of property valued between $2,500 and $30,000. The case will be handled in Bell County’s 426th Judicial District Court.
According to the indictment, between October 2020 and November 2023, Newsom is accused of appropriating funds belonging to Holland Mayor Johnny Kallus and the city through deception and without consent. The alleged theft occurred while he was acting in his official capacity as police chief.
During a January 2024 city council meeting, Newsom admitted to making 149 unauthorized transactions on city debit cards and using city resources for non-city purposes.
Holland City Attorney Michael Guevara stated that nearly $13,000 in city funds were used for items such as animal feed, bedding, and trailer tires — purchases unrelated to city business.
Newsom, who served as Holland’s police chief for a decade, now faces felony theft charges that could result in prison time and loss of his peace officer certification.
