Sheriff Candidate Nick Hanna Opens Up About the FLDS Case and John Sullivan's Will

SAN ANGELO, TX — Candidate for Tom Green County Sheriff Nick Hanna has served the county and the surrounding areas for an entire career with the Texas Department of Public Safety and as a Texas Ranger. He retired from the Texas Rangers in November and was named Chief Deputy Sheriff by outgoing Sheriff David Jones in December.

Hanna is taking heat on the campaign trail by some who say he is the heir apparent to take the reigns at the Sheriff’s Office and his setup by Sheriff Jones is just another “good ‘ol boy” move.

“There are only so many windows of opportunity to become the Tom Green County Sheriff,” Hanna explained. He said he wasn’t about to run against Sheriff Jones. Jones, like his predecessor Joe Hunt, is popular and it would be a fool’s errand to attempt to unseat, Hanna explained. Like Hanna, both Hunt and Jones were Texas Rangers. Hanna said he retired from the State of Texas earlier than the maximum years to serve the Rangers to seize the opportunity to serve Tom Green County.

In the interview, Hanna retraces two of the more notorious crime stories in the area over the past decade. Hanna became the investigation evidence custodian and led much of the case against Warren Jeffs and the FLDS cases in Eldorado. The FLDS saga is the largest child abuse case in U.S history, Hanna said. Then, five years ago, Hanna led the investigation into the will of John Sullivan that ended in the convictions of attorney John Young and bail bondsman Ray Zapata on charges related to forging Sullivan’s will and stealing the suspected child predator’s $8.7 million estate.

Hanna promised that new efficiencies to be implemented with the new jail will mitigate the increased transportation times to-and-from the new facility located on the northeastern edge of the county.

Hanna is facing Tom Green County Deputy and Lt. Keith Muncey for the Republican nomination to run unopposed in the November General Election. Concerning the outcome of the election, Hanna said he has worked towards the goal of serving the county in the capacity as sheriff. “If it’s in God’s plan, that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.