La Marque, TX – Keith Bell, 53, the mayor of La Marque, was arrested Friday in Angleton on a warrant charging him with indecent exposure, a Class B misdemeanor. He was released Saturday after posting a $75,000 bond, with a judge ordering him to have no contact with the woman who reported the incident, stay away from her residence and stay away from the school she attends.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Bell was allegedly seen masturbating in the lobby of an office building in Angleton on Friday morning. A woman, whose identity is being withheld, reportedly witnessed the incident and contacted authorities, prompting Brazoria County Sheriff’s deputies to respond. The Chronicle reported that Bell was taken into custody and booked into the county detention center.
Those are allegations, not a conviction. Bell has not been found guilty of the charge, and the publicly available reporting does not identify an attorney representing him or provide a statement from Bell disputing the accusation.
The City of La Marque confirmed the arrest Friday, in a statement where they stated, “To the residents of La Marque, we recognize that this is a shocking and disheartening development during a period that has already brought significant uncertainty and challenges to our community. We understand and share your concerns.” City officials also emphasized that the alleged conduct occurred outside Bell’s official duties as mayor and said the city would follow its charter and applicable law while gathering verified information.
Bell’s arrest does not automatically remove him from office. The city said Saturday that Bell remains mayor unless he resigns or is removed through the procedures established by the city charter and Texas law. City leadership said it had not communicated with Bell following his release, and Bell had not contacted city staff at the time of reporting.
This isn’t Bell’s first trip with controversy.
Bell has been involved in La Marque government for years. He served on the council for 17 years before becoming mayor, and he was sworn into the mayor’s office in January 2021. He was reelected in May 2024, defeating Joel Camacho with 63.57 percent of the vote, according to official Galveston County election results.
Bell also survived a 2022 recall election. More recently, he faced another recall effort in 2025, which Bell disputed as based on false allegations. That political history doesn’t establish anything about the current criminal case, but it does mean La Marque’s mayor has never exactly been a stranger to controversy.
Under Texas Penal Code §21.08, indecent exposure involves exposing the anus or genitals with intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire while being reckless about whether another person is present who will be offended or alarmed. A first offense is generally a Class B misdemeanor.