A Rains County Justice of the Peace escaped felony charges but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after being caught with a rifle inside the county courthouse last year.
Judge Robert Jenkins Franklin, who continues to serve as Justice of the Peace according to the county website, entered the guilty plea on a weapons charge stemming from a 2023 incident where he was photographed shouldering a firearm inside the Rains County Courthouse. The incident triggered a broader investigation that initially led to multiple charges against the judge.
Felony Charges Dismissed
More serious allegations against Franklin were dropped in November 2025 when special prosecutor Tonda Curry dismissed felony witness tampering charges, citing insufficient evidence. Court proceedings on November 21 formalized the dismissal, bringing a partial end to the legal troubles that have shadowed the judge.
Franklin had been facing a potentially career-ending legal battle after being indicted on two misdemeanor counts of official oppression alongside two felony counts of witness tampering. But the prosecution’s case began unraveling when investigators determined that key witnesses lacked credibility.
What exactly happened inside the courthouse that day? According to multiple reports, Franklin was photographed with a rifle in the building – a clear violation of weapons restrictions in government facilities. The image apparently sparked both immediate concerns and a broader investigation into his conduct as a judicial officer.
A Complex Legal Journey
The felony charges against Franklin specifically related to alleged threats made against a defendant, but prosecutors ultimately couldn’t substantiate those claims. Local media reported that the agreement to drop the more serious charges came alongside Franklin’s guilty plea to the misdemeanor weapons violation.
The case has drawn significant attention in the small East Texas county, where Franklin continues to serve despite the controversy. The judge had previously been suspended during portions of the investigation, but spoke out when it became clear the felony charges would be dismissed.
“This has been a difficult chapter for our county’s justice system,” said one courthouse regular who requested anonymity. “Having a judge photographed with a rifle inside these halls raises serious questions, regardless of how the other charges played out.”
Franklin’s guilty plea to the weapons charge closes one aspect of the case, though the specifics of any sentencing or professional consequences remain unclear. The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct, which oversees judicial officers in the state, typically reviews such matters independently of criminal proceedings.
For now, the Justice of the Peace appears to have weathered the most serious legal threats to his position, though the courthouse rifle incident will likely remain a notable footnote in Rains County’s judicial history.
