Stamford Mayor Indicted on Federal Wire Fraud Charges, Accused of Stealing Over $300,000 from City, Estates, and Livestock Association

The mayor of a small West Texas city is facing federal wire fraud charges after prosecutors say he used his positions of public and legal trust to steal more than $300,000 from a community foundation, multiple private estates, and a local livestock association — then funneled the money to individuals with whom he had formed a secret personal relationship in Oklahoma.
James Michael Decker, 42, the elected mayor of Stamford, Texas, and a licensed Texas attorney, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Texas, Abilene Division. The indictment, filed August 12, 2026, charges Decker with five counts of wire fraud in violation of federal law.
If convicted on all counts, Decker faces up to 20 years in federal prison per count.
According to the indictment, Decker held signatory authority over a number of bank accounts by virtue of his various roles in the community — none of which gave him any personal ownership of the funds he controlled.
As mayor, Decker had access to the Community Foundation of Stamford account at First State Bank, intended to fund city services and community projects. As a licensed attorney serving as trustee and executor, he had access to several private estate and trust accounts, including those belonging to the F.H. Estate, the H.F. Trust, the Estate of J.D.B., and the N.W. Estate. He also held signing authority over the T.A. Livestock Association's operating account.
Prosecutors allege that beginning in July 2025, Decker exploited that authority to systematically drain each of those accounts for his own benefit.
Federal prosecutors say Decker transferred funds from the community and estate accounts into personal accounts he controlled — including a campaign account, a personal bank account, and his law firm's IOLTA trust account — before routing the money to two individuals in Oklahoma with whom he had formed what the indictment describes as a "secret personal relationship."
The individuals in Oklahoma, whose identities were not disclosed in the charging documents, are described as having provided no services and having no legitimate business relationship with the City of Stamford, the estates, or any of the associations under Decker's control.
The alleged losses break down as follows: $133,000 from the Community Foundation of Stamford; $84,000 from the F.H. Estate and 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, for a total of approximately $308,000.
The indictment outlines five specific wire transfers as the basis for the charges, spanning from July 2025 through February 2026. They include a $2,500 transfer from estate funds into Decker's campaign account in July 2025; a $3,815 transfer from the Livestock Association account that prosecutors say was ultimately wired directly to one of the Oklahoma individuals in January 2026; and a $6,000 transfer from the Community Foundation account to Decker's campaign account just weeks before the indictment was filed.
Decker was summoned to appear  before a United States Magistrate Judge following the filing of the indictment. A not-guilty plea has not yet been entered on the record. The case has been assigned to Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas.
The government is also seeking forfeiture of any property or proceeds tied to the alleged offenses.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Tusing of the Abilene office of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Publishers note: An indictment is an accusation, and the Jury issuing a True Bill means that they believe there is sufficient evidence to move forward in the case. Decker is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.