Burnet County inmate allegedly attempts to sway witness in case

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

BURNET — A man behind bars allegedly offered a witness in the case against him $130,000 if she would falsely testify on his behalf.

Burnet County investigators charged Carl Wilson Gammon, 60, with tampering with a witness after he allegedly tried to get a 92-year-old woman to “testify falsely in said official proceeding,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit compiled by Burnet County Sheriff Office deputy William Fritsch and signed by Burnet County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Lisa Whitehead.

Gammon is currently being held in the Burnet County Jail on charges of illegally possessing and using the 92-year-old woman’s personal identification information, including her Social Security number as well a credit card and bank account number.

In June, Burnet County deputies and Burnet County Precinct 4 Constable Chris Jett arrested Gammon after an investigation linked the man to allegedly obtaining and using the Meadowlakes woman’s information without her permission.

The investigation also learned the man also allegedly acquired 19 other elderly individuals’ personal information, including Social Security and credit card numbers, according to a previous affidavit.

Authorities arrested him in June on two counts of fraudulent use/possession of identifying information-elderly, as well as exploitation of the elderly.

According to the affidavit regarding the recent tampering charge, the suspect mailed a letter to the 92-year-old woman in July. The suspect sent the letter “with the intent to influence (the woman) to fabricate statements to the defendant’s public defender” in order to “exonerate the defendant from any wrong doing,” according to the recent affidavit.

If convicted of tampering with a witness charge, the man faces up to 10 years in prison.

Gammon is currently being held in jail on a total of $435,000.

editor@thepicayune.com