Bess Gamble-Williams, a longtime Marine veteran and Toys for Tots coordinator, lost in a bench trial Thursday after the court refused to admit phone records and blocked her from naming the people who called her the day before the warrant was issued
The case centered on a small Toys for Tots train logo printed on an informational brochure worth less than a dollar. Gamble-Williams said no collection efforts had even begun when the warrant was issued.
What Happened in Court
Bess Gamble-Williams told Texarkana News that a witness called by the state admitted in court that he knew of her longtime work with Toys for Tots. However, the court still declined to admit phone records showing calls she received and would not allow her to name the callers.
Gamble-Williams said the court information she received indicated the trial for the low-level alleged offense would be handled in a small second-floor office. Instead, the case was moved to a full courtroom before Precinct 1 - Place 2, Justice of the Peace Jay Womack. She represented herself, was found guilty, and was given a $500 fine plus approximately $81 in court fees.
Evidence Not Admitted
According to Gamble-Williams, she attempted to introduce screenshots from her phone showing calls she received the day before the warrant was issued in October 2025 from a Marine Corps Reserve lieutenant and a Harley-Davidson representative. She said both individuals had contacted her because the Toys for Tots collection efforts would begin soon, and she was known as a local contact. She said she then delivered a flyer to them, which she said they were expecting.
“They wouldn’t even allow me to say their names,” Gamble-Williams said. “They said it was hearsay. But I had the actual screenshots from my phone showing the calls that day. That’s not hearsay.”
Gamble-Williams said she mentioned older brochures she had used since at least 2006 - apparently with the same logo. She brought a binder containing those materials to show that similar brochures had been used for over 20 years. She also said she had contemporaneous notes of the calls from the Marine lieutenant and the Harley-Davidson representative, but those notes were not admitted as evidence.
A local witness called by the prosecution, a Toys for Tots “ambassador,” testified that he had known of Gamble-Williams’ work with the program over the years.
Timeline of Events
Bess Gamble-Williams said that in the weeks prior to the warrant being issued in October 2025, police and fire officials contacted her about distributing toys. She told them they would have to get in line with other groups.
“I told them they had to get in line like everybody else,” she said. Gamble-Williams explained that she had sometimes seen minority children not receive toys in past distributions and wanted to make sure they also had a Merry Christmas.
The warrant in the case was issued in October 2025, but according to Gamble-Williams, it was never entered into the state system. Several months later, when she appeared before the Bowie County Commissioners Court to have the warrant vacated so she could obtain a License to Carry permit, she was arrested and spent approximately 24 hours in custody for an alleged crime with no penalty of jail time.
Court Proceedings
Gamble-Williams said she received no evidence from the county prosecutor’s office prior to trial. She noted that all evidence offered by the prosecution was admitted. Justice Court is not a court of record, so no court reporter was present.
“[Their] whole witnesses were hearsay. But see, he didn’t let me know that I could have witnesses,” she said.
Gamble-Williams said she was surprised to see Sheriff Jeff Neal and a deputy sheriff testify. She said the county was represented by a young female prosecutor whose name was not available at press time.
After the Verdict
Following the verdict, Gamble-Williams said she approached the prosecutor and told her she understood she was doing her job. She smiled as she left the courtroom and later stated that she believed she had done nothing wrong and had the truth on her side.
“I kept a smile,” she said. And that was aggravating [them] ’cause I was smiling and they were like, “What? She’s smiling?”
Background on Gamble-Williams
During the proceeding, the court was told that Gamble-Williams is a decorated Marine veteran who served 20 years and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant. It was also noted that she was a private investigator licensed in Virginia and serves as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Partner for Shield of Valor Executive Protection and Private Investigation, which is licensed in Texas by the Department of Public Safety and registered in California, Georgia, and Nevada.
Gamble-Williams is also a local activist but has drawn both criticism and praise for her prior activism on topics such as the removal of the Confederate Mother’s Statue in downtown Texarkana.
Next Steps and Possible Appeal
Gamble-Williams indicated that an appeal was likely, and she has 10 days to appeal the verdict. She said she is compiling additional documentation and intends to make more records public in the coming days.
In Texas, an appeal from a Justice Court conviction on a Class C misdemeanor goes to County Court. This type of appeal is known as a trial de novo, meaning the case would be heard again from the beginning as if the original trial had not taken place. In a new trial, Gamble-Williams would have the opportunity to call witnesses, obtain discovery, argue for the admission of previously excluded evidence, and request a jury trial if she chooses.
NOTE: This article builds on prior coverage by Texarkana News (click here to read) and includes information from two interviews with Bess Gamble-Williams. One was before the trial, and the other was the day of the trial, following the verdict. The article includes some news analysis by the author. Photo of the logo of Toys for Tots and the Marine Corps Reserve implies no affiliation and is used in accordance with news and commentary fair use.
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