August 27, 2026 - Indictments on the Shelby County jailers and one deputy have been unsealed following their arrests on Tuesday, August 27, 2026, regarding the in-custody death of James Perry Jr., on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
A grand jury impaneled for the July 2026 term of the 273rd Judicial District Court was convened on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, and they delivered 15 indictments on those parties charged. The three jailers including Andrew Valadez, Phillip Youngblood and Jayne Sharnberg were equally indicted for manslaughter, second degree felony; official oppression, misdemeanor a; tampering with government records, state jail felony; and violation of civil rights of person in custody, third degree felony.
These indictments remained sealed until arrests were made on those who were indicted.
Those indictments allege (manslaughter) that on or about July 18, 2026, Sharnberg, Youngblood, and Valadez recklessly caused the death of James Elliott Perry, Jr. by leaving him restrained in a chair restricting his ability to move (official oppression) and intentionally subjected Perry to detention or mistreatment by prolonged restraint in a chair and which the jailers allegedly knew was unlawful while acting under their employment as a public servant, namely a Shelby County Sheriff’s Department Jailer. The indictments further allege (tampering with government records) that the jailers are alleged to have knowingly made a false entry of a government record in that of the restraint chair log and face-to-face log indicating the observations and verification of said observations.
The jailers are further alleged (violation of civil rights of person in custody) that while they were employees of the Shelby County Jail, and while knowing their conduct to be unlawful, the jailers intentionally denied or impeded Perry while in custody in the exercise or enjoyment of a right or privilege, namely to be detained in a safe and humane manner and to be provided food, medical attention, bathroom facilities and release at the earliest appropriate time by placing him in a restraint chair and failing to follow the Texas Jail Standard Commission mandated policies for the use of the restraint chair.
Separately, Shelby County Deputy Angela Neal was indicted for aggravated perjury, third degree felony; tampering with a government document, state jail felony; and official oppression, misdemeanor class a.
The indictments allege (aggravated perjury), on July 18, 2026, Neal had intent to deceive and with knowledge of the statement’s meaning made a false statement under oath or swore to a false statement previously made, namely that James Elliott Perry Jr. had appeared in a public place and exposed his genitals to a child. Such sworn statement is required by law to be made under oath, and the alleged false statement is made in connection with an official proceeding, namely a probable cause affidavit relied upon by a magistrate and is material in such a proceeding to determine the validity of an arrest.
The indictments further allege (tampering with a government document) Neal knowingly had intent to defraud or harm another by knowingly making a false entry into an offense report (government record) with the false entry being that there was no exterior door on a structure. Neal is also alleged (official oppression) to have intentionally subjected a person to arrest that she knew was unlawful while acting under color of her employment as a public servant, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Department deputy.
Indictments and Information are not a conviction, and are a matter of public record. All individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
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