By Dan Frieth – Reclaim The Net
A felony case tied to a satirical political meme has fallen apart in North Texas, with prosecutors formally declining to pursue charges against Granbury journalist and Navy veteran Kolton Glen Krottinger.
His attorney says the arrest and prosecution are now the basis for an upcoming federal civil rights lawsuit.
On December 22, 2025, Ellis County District Attorney Lindy T. Beaty, acting as a special prosecutor after the Hood County district attorney recused himself, issued a written rejection of the online impersonation charge that led to Krottinger’s arrest last fall.
We obtained a copy of the rejection for you here.
After reviewing the evidence, Beaty concluded the case could not proceed and directed that the charge be dismissed, Krottinger released, and all bond conditions terminated.
The charge arose from a Facebook post shared during a contentious Granbury Independent School District board election.
Krottinger runs a local political commentary page called “Hood County Sheepdogs,” which publishes interviews, criticism of local officials, and political satire.
The page clearly identifies its content as satirical.
In late September, the page published a digitally altered image resembling a Facebook post that appeared to show a local political activist supporting a school board candidate she opposed.
The image was posted under the Hood County Sheepdogs page itself and not from an account using the activist’s name. No separate profile or page was created to pose as her.
Despite those facts, Krottinger was arrested on November 3 and charged with third-degree felony online impersonation.
Prosecutors later declined to present evidence, and a justice of the peace discharged the case for lack of probable cause. The rejection letter from the pro tem district attorney confirmed that the State could not establish Krottinger as the person who created or posted the material at issue.
Even so, state officials have suggested they may still attempt to seek a grand jury indictment. Krottinger has responded by filing suit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
Texas, asking a federal judge to block any renewed prosecution connected to the meme.
Krottinger’s attorney, civil rights lawyer C.J. Grisham, has said that effort is only the first step. A broader federal civil rights action is planned, alleging that the arrest and charge amounted to unconstitutional retaliation for protected political speech.
The rejection letter states that it applies only to the online impersonation charge and does not address unrelated matters. Still, it brings the prosecution tied to the satirical post to an end and undermines the legal basis used to justify Krottinger’s arrest in the first place.