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Former jail employee charged with giving sensitive information to Twin Peaks suspect

Posted at 3:14 PM, Apr 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-08 16:48:48-04

A former McLennan County Jail employee was arrested Thursday for discussing sensitive information with one of the suspects in the Twin Peaks’ biker gang shooting.

She is now out of jail on a $10,000 bond.

Text messages were found that showed Jennifer Howell disclosed information on the case that was not available to the general public. These text messages began as far as March 2015.

Howell acknowledged that the text messages between her and the biker gang member could get her in trouble.

After further investigation, it was revealed that Howell and the gang member were romantically involved.

Howell admitted to running a license plate for the confirmed gang member. She gave him the address and name of the person who owned the vehicle. He was asking for the information because he believed that vehicle had run another member of his biker gang off the road, according to an arrest complaint.

This incident happened before the Twin Peaks' shooting. 

McLennan County Criminal District Attorney Abel Reyna released a statement on Howell's arrest.

“I want to commend the work of investigators on the Twin Peaks case.  Any allegations of criminal conduct on the part of a peace officer is something that is not taken lightly.  We will continue to work with Sheriff McNamara to uncover the full extent of this relationship and the impact it may have had on any investigation and any resulting criminal conduct.  This investigation will continue and justice will be done.”

Howell had worked for the McLennan County Jail for more than 6 years and resigned on March 17.

Sheriff Parnell McNamara said he was shocked when he learned about the allegations. He added his office did not know about the investigation until after Howell resigned last month.

"Anytime you have an employee who is a hard worker and a good worker, you certainly don't expect this," said McNamara.

On May 17, 2015, nine people were killed and dozens were injured as a result of a shooting between rival biker gangs in the parking lot outside the Twin Peaks restaurant.

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