Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 10, in the felony money laundering case against Fort Bend County Judge KP George, following a failed “Hail Mary” appeal to have District Attorney Brian Middleton barred from the prosecution team.
Special Prosecutor Brian Wice, hired by the DA’s office to assist with trying the case, issued a brief statement Monday after the Fourteenth Court of Appeals denied George’s appeal.
“We’re gratified but not at all surprised by how quickly the court of appeals rejected this defendant’s 11th-hour ploy to avoid answering to a Fort Bend County jury. The defense’s incessant character assassination and predictable partisan bluster ends today. The State’s duty to seek justice has been unwavering. The trial starts tomorrow.”
George has repeatedly denied the allegations that he made improper transfers from his campaign account to pay property taxes, buy a new SUV and make a down payment on a home, among other things, saying the accusations are part of a political vendetta by Middleton.
George has served as Fort Bend County judge since 2019 and recently came in last in the Republican primary to retain his seat. GOP nominee Daniel Wong will face the winner of a Democratic Primary runoff — either Dexter McCoy or Rachelle Carter — in the November general election.
George is also accused of misdemeanor identity misrepresentation, a case set for trial on May 5. Prosecutors allege that George created a fake Facebook profile under the name “Antonio Scalywag” to garner support from voters in a 2022 re-election campaign. The judge has also denied those allegations and his attorney Jared Woodfill has accused Middleton of prosecutorial misconduct, saying Middleton knew about the social media hoax while it was happening and withheld evidence related to that case.
The DA’s office has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that George is making desperate attempts to try to get the charges dropped. Woodfill did not immediately reply to a request for comment Monday.
George was indicted on the misdemeanor charges in September 2024 and switched parties from Democrat to Republican in mid-2025, shortly after he was indicted on the money laundering charges.
Middleton, a Democrat, ran unopposed in last week’s primary and will face Republican Shawn McDonald in November.
If convicted of a felony, George faces up to to 10 years in prison and will automatically be removed from his judgeship. If George is removed from office or resigns, an acting judge, likely one of the four commissioners, could be appointed to serve in the interim.
Second Assistant District Attorney Wesley Wittig, a spokesman for the office, has said the felony trial will last about a week. The DA’s office has not revealed what punishment it is seeking. Guilt or innocence will be determined by the jury, but George’s lawyer can request that District Judge Maggie Jaramillo decide the sentence.
It’s possible that, if George is sent to prison on the felony, the DA’s office could drop the misdemeanor charges. However, Wittig said prosecutors are keeping all options open “until we have some decisions.”