Texas Mayor Arrested in Massive Illegal Gambling Bust

Small Town Mayor Faces Felony Charges

A Texas mayor who also serves as a school district administrator found himself behind bars this week as part of a sweeping illegal gambling investigation that rocked the small town of Hitchcock. Christopher Armacost, the 44-year-old Hitchcock mayor who also works as an assistant superintendent at Hitchcock ISD, was arrested Wednesday and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a felony, as part of an investigation that resulted in 23 arrests .

The arrest came after the Galveston County Organized Crime Task Force executed 21 search warrants in the town — including at Hitchcock City Hall — resulting in the seizure of 749 gaming machines and $417,752 in cash . Documents reveal that an attendant at Armacost's business told deputies the mayor owns the business and was aware of the illegal gambling, showing text messages between her and Armacost discussing the games .

Armacost owns Comfort Zone Washateria in Hitchcock, where five gaming machines were seized Wednesday by law enforcement . Deputies received an illegal gambling tip about the washateria, went there and saw five eight-liner machines, put in $20 into two machines, ended up with about 40 and 70 credits, and when they approached an attendant, she handed them that cash amount .

City Revenue Tied to Gaming Operations

Sheriff Jimmy Fullen alleged the city of Hitchcock is getting roughly $800,000-$900,000 annually from the game rooms, which is allegedly going into part of its annual budget . The 2024 budget shows the city collected just over $7 million in total revenue, with amusement permits generating more than $850,000 in revenue, about 12% of the city's total revenue — only property tax and sales tax generated more money .

When Sheriff Fullen met with the mayor back in October 2025, Armacost did not acknowledge that he had any gaming operations at his business, telling the sheriff they were doing every effort to reduce the number of game room permits to eight, but authorities hit 20 establishments . The sheriff said he initially met with Armacost after receiving calls from local businesses and residents complaining about illegal gaming operations, told him the city needed to clean up their own problem, but the complaints kept coming .

Fullen also said that the game rooms were bringing crime to Hitchcock, stating "There have been aggravated robberies in Hitchcock that have not been reported" . Investigators found that only one machine in the entire city was registered with the state, despite deputies seizing nearly 750 .

Official Response and Legal Defense

In response to his arrest, Armacost said he plans to defend his case in court, stating through his defense attorney: "I have been charged by the state with offenses as a private citizen and business owner. Neither my work as mayor for the City of Hitchcock, nor my work as an administrator for Hitchcock Independent School District have been implicated in these charges" .

City officials in Hitchcock said they were "reviewing all legal and administrative protocols" in light of Armacost's arrest and could not comment on "specific details of the case," citing an ongoing criminal investigation . Hitchcock ISD confirmed Armacost remains an employee of the district as they review all applicable information, but cannot provide further comment due to it being a personnel-related matter .

Broader Investigation Continues

Galveston County District Attorney Kenneth Cusick indicated the investigation could expand, saying "The evidence that is produced out of this investigation will lead us to any other elements that are involved in this organization that weren't arrested the other day and that would include city officials, any other officials that would be involved in any other person's operating, financing or operating these game rooms" .

In addition to the felony cases, more than two dozen people were arrested on misdemeanor charges, primarily for keeping a gambling place, gambling promotion and possession of gambling devices, with many arrests occurring along the state Highway 6 corridor in Hitchcock . The investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected, marking the second illegal gambling operation by the sheriff's office in 2026 after conducting busts in Galveston in January .

This case highlights the complex intersection of local government, regulatory oversight, and illegal gambling operations in small Texas communities. As the investigation unfolds, it may reshape how municipalities approach gaming regulation and revenue generation, particularly when elected officials have potential conflicts of interest.