“Sheriff’s Office Shooter” Remanded to Federal Custody

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – The suspect in the shooting at Houston County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Clifford Robert Heniser, accused in the shooting Saturday, Mar. 15 has been so far housed at an alternate location for his own safety and for the safety of HCSO deputies and staff. Crockett Police Department Department (CPD) has been working the case, but will soon have assistance from federal agencies, after they have agreed to press federal charges.

The move comes after it was revealed Heniser had posed as a federal agent when he first entered the building, requesting “records” from the sheriff’s office. 

In a statement, Houston County Sheriff Zak Benge said federal charges are now pending, a move expected since the morning of the shooting. 

“The suspect has been issued a federal detainer for Unlawful Carry of Firearm by Felon. He will be remanded to federal custody in the very near future and other federal charges are forthcoming,” Benge noted. “He also has pending charges from another county for past sexual assault allegations. We will continue to work with our partner agencies to see that all available charges are filed to hold this individual accountable for his actions.”

The move comes as somewhat of a relief to HSCO, as the suspect was expected to meet obligations for his $101,000 bond and it was unclear if he would be back to finish whatever plans were interrupted after his arrest. He is alleged to have told jailers during processing they would see him again.

Many residents commented about the bond amount given to the suspect, which they said seemed low, given the dramatic nature of the incident.

The Messenger looked into how bonds work in local courts, and it turns out the procedures are incredibly simple and complicated at the same time.

In spite of what intentions the suspect may have had, no one was killed, injured or shot during the incident. Security footage showed the suspect fired his rifle into the air, not towards any people or law enforcement officers. It has been reported the suspect complied with orders and did not resist arrest. Had the suspect fired while pointing the weapon towards the office, knowing people were inside, further charges of attempted murder might be on the table. As it was, this did not apply in this case. 

While the suspect must now face the music for all of his current charges, there was no premeditated murder or other more serious crimes, like violence against children. According to the Texas constitution, bonds are a tightly-controlled issue, giving local judges little wiggle room – even in events such as this one. 

The constitution clearly states bonds are not meant to be a punishment in themselves, as even during the arrest and bond phases, suspects are still considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Therefore, bonds are more tightly linked to former offenses, public safety and ensuring the accused does, in fact, return to court to deal with offenses they are charged with. 

Within those guidelines, judges must take each charge separately. While former crimes are considered and weighted, each charge requires its own bond, with several factors to be considered. 

Guidelines for judges are strict, but open to interpretation, as witnessed by some of the manuals judges use to weigh bond for each charge. 

“There are several factors that you must consider every time you are making a bail decision, including ability to pay, nature of the offense, flight risk, and more,” according to the 2025 edition of state rules and considerations for judges. “It is impossible to assign a dollar amount to a case based only on the offense. A bail schedule must require the magistrate to consider all of the factors listed in Article 17.15(a) when making a bail decision.”

The manual further states, “A bail bond is “a written undertaking entered into by the defendant and the defendant’s sureties for the appearance of the [defendant] before a court or magistrate to answer a criminal accusation. A bail bond is often referred to as a surety bond because the defendant’s agreement to show up for trial is guaranteed by the surety, who is liable for payment of the amount of bail if the defendant fails to appear.”

The system is designed so bonds will be flexible, but reasonable and not oppressive. Charges also do not accumulate when it comes to bonds in local courts: each charge is dealt with separately, independent of whatever other charges may appear against the same defendant on the same day.

With the transfer of Heniser soon to federal jurisdiction, the bond issue will probably become moot, as new federal charges are likely to be laid down. 

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]