(June 14, 2007)—Citing health and personal concerns Falls County Judge Tom Sehon said Thursday he plans to step down later this year.

The announcement comes just six months after Sehon started his second term.

Sehon, who served as the county’s district attorney for 20 years, was first elected county judge in 2002.

He ran unopposed for a second term in 2006.

He said Thursday he plans to advise county commissioners of his plans on Friday, but said so far nothing has been put in writing.

Sehon’s tenure as county judge coincides with investigations that led to the indictment of the county’s former tax assessor-collector and of a former appraisal district official.

In January Falls County Tax Assessor-Collector Kate Vade Veegaete was sentenced to five years deferred probation after pleading guilty to one count of tampering with government records.

The charges stem from allegations she made illegal changes to the appraised values of some property in the county.

Prosecutors dropped two other felony charges against the former official who vowed to never run for elected office again.

She resigned from the tax office in Marlin after she was indicted in October 2006.

The indictment alleged she illegally changed the appraised values of property owned by family members of appraisal district employee Candace Grams.

Grams has been indicted on multiple counts of record and evidence tampering and theft.

Her trial is now underway in Marlin.

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