Attorney who threatened Tarrant commissioner to be released from jail
Dylan Lofton’s mother, Crystal Ledet, is counting down the days until her son is once again released from the Tarrant County Jail and back into the care of his family, though his future beyond that remains uncertain.
In March 2025, Lofton, a 28-year-old attorney from Saginaw, was arrested for making terroristic threats against County Commissioner Manny Ramirez, a felony offense. According to a release from Ramirez’s office at the time, Lofton “issued repeated threats to kill Commissioner Ramirez, lacing the threats with multiple racial slurs.”
A spokesperson for Ramirez’s office was not available on Friday for comment. County offices including the District Attorney’s Office were closed for the Good Friday holiday.
Ledet argues Lofton’s case was anything but black and white. Lofton suffers from mental illness and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, she said. The night he called Ramirez, Ledet said, Lofton was experiencing a schizophrenic episode and had been drinking. He has no memory of even making the phone calls, she added.
That same night, Lofton allegedly called and threatened a U.S. congressman. Ledet said federal charges are still pending. There is no record of a federal indictment, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for North Texas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lofton’s attorney was heading into a hearing and unable to talk when reached for comment Friday.
In the Tarrant County felony case, Lofton was sentenced to five years of probation with deferred adjudication as part of a plea agreement, and he was ordered to wear an ankle monitor. But days after being released from jail in November, he was back behind bars.
In late November, Lofton was acting erratically and was admitted to John Peter Smith Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Ledet said a police officer and Lofton’s probation officer said he wouldn’t need his ankle monitor while he was under medical care. Nevertheless, Lofton was subsequently arrested and accused of violating the terms of his probation.
Lofton has been in jail ever since, facing a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years, as reported by Fort Worth Weekly. But at a Thursday, April 2 hearing, Lofton’s probation was reinstated, though it was lengthened from five to 10 years, his mother said. As conditions of his probation, he’ll have to perform community service, receive mental health services and continue to wear an ankle monitor.
Lofton’s release date is set for April 16. But it’s possible he’ll have to turn himself back in to law enforcement officials if and when a federal warrant is issued for the alleged threats against the congressman, Ledet said.
Speaking to the Star-Telegram, Ledet expressed dismay at how her son’s case has been handled from the beginning. She said not enough consideration was given to Lofton’s mental state, and she said he should have never been rearrested for not wearing his ankle monitor in the hospital after receiving assurances he wouldn’t need it. She’s also frustrated the federal charge has been pending for more than a year. Ledet said having that hanging over Lofton’s head makes it difficult for him to move forward with his life.
“They’ve really blown this out of proportion,” said Ledet. “This should be a mental health issue, not a criminal issue.”
Ledet said Lofton only began exhibiting signs of severe mental illness in recent years. He is a TCU graduate, and he earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2023.
“Dylan is a very smart kid,” Ledet said. “He passed the bar his first time. He had a 4.0 GPA in graduate school. He was like a Boy Scout.”
For some time, Lofton was active in the Tarrant County Democratic Party and served as a precinct chair coordinator. He was interviewed for a 2017 Star-Telegram story during a rally in Dallas opposing the Trump administration and Texas state immigration policies.
In 2024, Lofton moved out of his mother’s home and into an apartment. After that, Ledet said, he abruptly cut ties with his family and friends and began demonstrating worrying behaviors, like assuming an Irish identity and accent. He also became fixated with former Fox 4 anchor Hanna Battah, believing the two of them were engaged to be married, despite the fact Lofton had never met Battah. On top of that, Lofton began drinking heavily, said Ledet.
Ledet initiated wellness checks on Lofton, but he was never taken into custody or required to seek treatment until his 2025 arrest. Now, Ledet said Lofton will require medication for the rest of his life. When medicated, Lofton is thoughtful and rational, just like in years past, his mother said.
But even once his legal troubles are behind him, it could be difficult for Lofton to pick up the pieces. Ledet said he’s been fired from two jobs and lost his apartment, car and most of the money he earned from working as an attorney.
“He’s basically destitute,” Ledet said.
As of now, Lofton is still eligible to practice law, but that could change. Based on state law, it’s likely his license will be suspended at least while he’s on probation.
Despite the challenges that remain, Ledet said Lofton is speaking logically and thinking clearly, and he’s looking forward to being reunited with his family.
“He’s telling us how much he loves us,” Ledet said. “He said he just wants to be able to hug his family.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 4:50 PM.