The McLennan County District Attorney’s Office has announced District Attorney Abel Reyna has been selected to be the chairman of the executive board of the Special Prosecution Unit for the State of Texas.

The Special Prosecution Unit (SPU) was founded in 1984 to combat the growing gang violence in Texas prisons. Since then, SPU has expanded to include not just the prosecution of felony criminal offenses which occur inside prisons and juvenile justice facilities, but also the civil commitment of sexually violent predators.

The SPU Board of Directors is composed of all the county attorneys, district attorneys, and criminal district attorneys with a TDCJ prison facility or TJJD juvenile facility in their jurisdiction.

This group of elected prosecutors then select an 11-member SPU Executive Board, including a Chairman of that Board. The SPU Board of Directors meets quarterly and provides oversight to the Special Prosecution Unit, headquartered in Walker County. 

SPU provides the resources and expertise needed, particularly in smaller counties, to ensure offenses occurring inside their prison systems are prosecuted. They ensure victims inside of a prison (inmates, guards, and civilians) are afforded the same justice system the rest of Texas shares.

This service extends to those that work in our TDCJ and TJJD facilities, as well as those that are housed in these facilities. 

Two Twin Peaks defense attorneys responded to the news, saying they were shocked. 

This comes just one week after Abel Reyna getting accused of corruption and drug use. 

“I would expect someone in that position to be a steward of professional responsibility, and I would be hard-pressed to describe Abel Reyna as such.” said Defense Attorney Casie Gotro, who represented biker Christopher Jacob Carrizal in the first Twin Peaks trial. 

Another Twin Peaks attorney is also shocked that Reyna now holds this position.  

“A man who has been alleged to political corruption, who has alleged ties to illegal gambling operations, and possible drug usage. Why on Earth has he been appointed to a position of authority? Especially something like the gang unit?,” said Defense Attorney David Beyer, representing Twin Peaks biker Billy Jason Mcree.