GROVETON — Plumbing and capacity issues continue to plague the Trinity County Jail, prompting warnings from the state requiring immediate corrective action.
To make matters worse, other jails in the area have refused to accept additional prisoners from the county.
Sheriff Woody Wallace put out a press release Dec. 29, 2025, that he has informed County Judge Danny Martin of the issues and asked for some help in getting prisoners relocated.
According to Wallace, Texas state standards dictate that the Trinity County Jail can house only seven inmates but is now housing 13. In addition, the jail sewer system has backed up again, resulting in flooding inside the facility and creating health, safety, and compliance concerns.
With the Trinity County Jail out of compliance, the Texas Commissioner on Jail Standards sent a letter Wednesday informing the county of the issues and requiring action.
Wallace said Strickland Plumbing ran a camera through the sewer lines, which show that the old cast iron pipes under the jail have collapsed and are in an advanced deteriorated state. A second company was called, and Wallace said that it only exacerbated the problem.
In the meantime, all locally housed inmates were moved to Jasper County as every other jail contracted with Trinity County has refused to take them, which costs the county $100 per day per inmate, Wallace said.
In November of last year, the county put a $16 million bond issue on the ballot, which was rejected by county voters. Wallace has long advocated for a new jail facility but there are few funding options and even less options to provide any temporary housing.
Wallace said tent cities are illegal in Texas for safety reasons, and currently there are no grants for jails either on the state or federal level.
“If Trinity County wants a compliant, safe, and functional jail, it must be planned and funded locally,” he said.
On Tuesday, Trinity County commissioners at a special session approved a contract with Angelina County for 40 inmates per month at $75 per inmate per day, which the county pays regardless of how many are housed there. Commissioner Neal Smith voted against the measure, saying he doesn’t condone the costs.
