Bowie Grand Jury Charges Texarkana Woman With Impersonating Private Investigator

NEW BOSTON, Texas–A Texarkana woman accused of falsely holding herself out as a licensed private investigator to members of the Bowie County Public Defender’s Office was indicted for a misdemeanor Thursday by a Bowie County grand jury.

Bessie “Bess” Elizabeth Gamble Williams, 67, was formally charged with misdemeanor impersonating a private investigator. Williams allegedly presented herself as a licensed private investigator in dealings with several members of the Bowie County Public Defender’s Office on Oct. 8, 2024, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Williams acted “with the intent to induce” Chief Public Defender Al Smith, Assistant Public Defender Paige Blackmon and/or Greg Prewitt, an investigator with the public defender’s office, “to submit to the defendant’s pretended authority and/or rely on the defendant’s pretended acts of a private investigator.”

If convicted of the Class-A misdemeanor, Williams faces up to a year in the county jail, a fine up to $4,000, or both. She may be eligible for a term of probation in lieu of incarceration.

The Bowie County grand jury consists of 12 citizens who live in the county. If nine or more members of the grand jury believe there is enough probable cause, a defendant is formally charged through an indictment.

Williams has been accused of pretending to be a licensed investigator before. In July 2024, the Texas Dept. of Public Safety arrested her on the same charge in a separate case. Williams was accused of portraying herself as a licensed investigator to acquire confidential student information from the Texarkana Texas Independent School District, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Williams allegedly wore a “federal badge” pinned to her chest when she went to Texas High School the morning of May 13, 2024, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Williams was allegedly “demanding” the records of a student and reportedly told school officials she was a private investigator. The Texas DPS investigation also revealed that this was not the first time Williams had allegedly told a TISD school administrator that she was a licensed investigator involved in an investigation.

Williams allegedly told an official at a TISD elementary school in October 2023 that she was employed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and was conducting an investigation into bullying that had occurred while the student was enrolled in the nearby Liberty Eylau Independent School District.

Williams was arrested in May of this year on a charge of trademark counterfeiting for falsely claiming to be an ambassador with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. She was convicted in June and ordered to pay a $500 fine and court costs.

The Bowie County Sheriff’s Office put out a scam alert about Williams and Toys for Tots in October last year warning people not to donate toys or money solicited by Williams.

Williams’ case has been assigned to County Court at Law Judge Craig Henry. No attorney of record was listed for Williams on Friday.

Williams had not been arrested on the new charge as of noon on Friday, according to a spokesperson with the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office.