City of Stamford Confirms Mayor Decker Has Not Resigned, Strips Account Access Amid Federal Fraud Charges

The City of Stamford broke its silence Wednesday, confirming that Mayor James Michael Decker has not resigned following his federal indictment last week and that the city has moved to cut off his access to municipal records and bank accounts while the criminal case proceeds.
City Manager Brad Burnett issued the statement on behalf of the city, saying officials learned of the indictment over the past week and immediately took action to protect city finances.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the City immediately began an investigation of its general bank account to identify any suspicious activity," Burnett wrote. "To date, the City has not identified any concerns related but will continue to investigate this matter in the coming days."
While the federal indictment references a city financial account — the Community Foundation of Stamford — Burnett noted that the specific wire fraud charges do not appear to directly involve any city bank account. Still, the city said it was not taking any chances.
The city has retained outside legal counsel to guide its own internal investigation and help establish best practices in the wake of the charges.
Burnett confirmed that no other city employee has been implicated in the federal investigation, a statement likely intended to reassure residents that the alleged misconduct was limited to Decker alone.
The city pledged to cooperate fully with federal and state authorities if called upon, but said it would not be making further public comments given the ongoing nature of the criminal proceedings. The statement directed additional inquiries to the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Decker was indicted August 12 on five counts of federal wire fraud, accused of stealing more than $308,000 from community accounts, private estates and trusts, and a local livestock association. He appeared in federal court in Abilene on Wednesday and was released without posting bail.
James Michael Decker is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The City of Stamford can be reached at 201 East McHarg Street, Stamford, Texas 79553, or by phone at 325-773-2591.