MAGNOLIA, Texas - The former mayor of Magnolia has pleaded guilty to assaulting his city secretary while she was pregnant, but he will not be facing jail time, according to records.

Matthew Dantzer pleaded guilty Friday to assault of a pregnant person, a felony, and official oppression, a misdemeanor, according to the Tarrant County District Clerk's Office. A judge placed him on two years of deferred adjudication probation, meaning if Dantzer successfully completes probation, he can avoid a formal conviction on his record.


Under the plea agreement, Dantzer must pay a $4,000 fine, perform community service and have no contact with former City Secretary Christian Gable.

The incident occurred last year during a work conference in Fort Worth. Gable alleged that Dantzer sexually harassed her and grabbed her by the throat while she was pregnant. Dantzer was arrested earlier this year and had previously denied the allegations.

Dantzer did not seek re-election after his term as mayor ended in May. Gable has since resigned from her city secretary position, saying the environment inside City Hall became too uncomfortable following the incident and its aftermath.

KPRC 2 News reached out to Dantzer's attorney for comment about the guilty plea and is awaiting a response.

While the criminal case has now been resolved through the plea deal, Dantzer still faces three federal civil lawsuits connected to the allegations. Those cases remain active.

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