What We Know About the Misdemeanor Burglary Case Facing Harris County Treasurer

Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt is facing a misdemeanor charge after her arrest in connection with a reported vehicle burglary in a Washington Avenue restaurant parking lot, according to court records and reporting by the Houston Chronicle.

Wyatt, 55, was charged on Dec. 27 with burglary of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor offense under Texas law. 

Prosecutors allege she “unlawfully, with the intent to commit theft,” entered another person’s vehicle without consent, according to a criminal complaint cited by the Houston Chronicle. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Forget Me Not restaurant, where employees reported seeing a woman inside a coworker’s vehicle while the owner, who still had her keys, was not present.

During a court hearing Friday, prosecutors said restaurant staff observed Wyatt going through the vehicle and removing items before a security guard intervened as police were called.

Wyatt’s attorney, Christopher Downey, disputed that characterization, arguing the vehicle was unlocked and that Wyatt was not attempting to steal anything. “I guess it’s left to interpretation,” Judge Shannon Baldwin said, ordering a probable cause hearing on Jan. 26 to determine whether the case should proceed.

Wyatt was released on a $100 general order bond. 

Court-imposed conditions prohibit her from using drugs or alcohol, contacting the complainant or restaurant employees, or possessing firearms. Additional conditions requested by prosecutors include random drug testing and no contact with the complainant’s family members, according to court filings.

The treasurer, a Democrat elected in 2022, did not respond to requests for comment. Harris County officials said the county has no oversight authority over the treasurer’s office because it is an independently elected position.

Wyatt was previously arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge in December 2023. That case was dismissed in August 2025 after she completed a pretrial diversion program, despite earlier bond violations, according to court records cited by Houston Public Media.