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Darian Ward, former Houston mayor press secretary, accepts plea deal

The Harris County District Attorney's Office charged Ward late last week with abuse of official capacity.

HOUSTON - Darian Ward, the former press secretary for Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, has accepted a plea deal after facing multiple charges, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

The DA's office sent out a press release Tuesday morning saying Ward has agreed to a 1-year pre-trial diversion contract.

In the next year, Ward will be supervised by the Harris County Probation Department. She must not commit any new crimes and she must also perform 30 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine.

If Ward completes the agreement, she could apply to have the matter expunged but if she violates it, she faces renewed prosecution for the crime, the DA's office said.

Any violation could cause her to serve up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

“Our democracy depends on the accountability of public officials to the people they represent," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “When the evidence shows misuse of government resources, we prosecute.”

In the written agreement, Ward admitted that the value of government property and services she misused was more than $750 and less than $2,500.

The former press secretary was charged last week with abuse of official capacity - after she was already indicted in July for withholding public emails and other information related to her company.

Ward is accused of using government time and equipment like cell phones and computers to work on her private company from 2014 to 2017.

Her company pitched various reality series to different television networks.

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