Stamford Mayor Accused of Diverting More Than $300,000 From Community Foundation, Estates and Trusts

ABILENE, Texas – Stamford Mayor James Michael Decker has been indicted on five federal wire fraud charges after prosecutors accused him of diverting more than $300,000 from a community foundation, estates, trusts and a livestock association into personal and campaign accounts.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment Aug. 12 against Decker, who serves as Stamford’s elected mayor and is also a licensed attorney.

According to the indictment, Decker served as a trustee and executor for several estates and trusts, positions that gave him access to accounts belonging to the Community Foundation of Stamford, F.H. Estate & Family Trust, Estate of J.D.B., N.W. Estate and T.A. Livestock Association. Prosecutors allege Decker had no personal ownership interest in the money.

Federal prosecutors accuse Decker of transferring money from those accounts into his personal and campaign accounts before sending funds to two people in Oklahoma with whom he had formed what the indictment describes as a secret personal relationship.

The two individuals had no legitimate business relationship with the City of Stamford or any of the estates and trusts, according to prosecutors.

The indictment alleges losses totaling approximately $308,000, including $133,000 from the Community Foundation of Stamford, $84,000 from the F.H. Estate & Family Trust, $52,000 from the Estate of J.D.B., $27,000 from the N.W. Estate and $12,000 from the T.A. Livestock Association.

Decker faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count if convicted. Prosecutors are also seeking forfeiture of property they allege was derived from the offenses.

The FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case.