Winkler County Attorney Scott Tidwell Found Guilty on Six Counts

A West Texas prosecutor has been found guilty on six counts by a Big Spring Jury. It took over three and a half hours for the jury to find Scott Tidwell guilty on charges of misuse of official information, official oppression, and retaliation.

The Winkler County attorney was accused of helping a doctor retaliate against two whistle-blowing hospital nurses at Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit. Earlier this year, Winkler County Sheriff Robert Roberts was found guilty on similar charges. They both helped Dr Rolando Arafiles Jr. gather information and terminate the two women after they complained to the Texas Medical Board about Arafiles conduct.

Tidwell is guilty of filing charges that he knew were false against the nurses on Dr. Arafiles account. Prosecuting Attorney David Glickler maintained that Tidwell overstepped his bounds as a county attorney, taking on the role of district attorney to prosecute the women, against the advice of several professionals. The charges on one nurse were dropped, and the other nurse was acquitted.

Judge Robert Moore will now decide the sentencing phase of the trial. Tidwell faces up to forty-two years in prison. Convictions of misuse of official information and retaliation are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison per count. Official oppression is punishable by up to a year in jail per count.

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Some information gathered from www.cbs7.com