Ray resigns in anticipation of his post as sheriff

(Seguin) — Sheriff-in-waiting is resigning from his position with the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office.

Chief Deputy Joshua Ray is leaving the sheriff's office for the time being and will join another county office.

Ray was offered the opportunity to become chief deputy nearly a year and a half ago by current Sheriff Arnold Zwicke. His announcement Monday comes nearly three months after he won the Republican nomination for sheriff in the March 5 primary. Since he faces no Democratic challengers in the November general election, Ray is expected to officially take office as sheriff on January 1, 2025.

In a written statement to the Seguin Daily News, Ray said, “In the meantime, I have made the difficult decision to leave the Sheriff's Office to take a position with the Guadalupe County Prosecutor's Office. The interaction between law enforcement and prosecution is complex, and I am now well positioned to deepen these relationships and expand my professional knowledge while preparing for my role as

Sheriff in January. Moving forward, I will be able to fairly evaluate the Sheriff's Office and determine what we will continue to do and what changes will need to be made when I take office.

He goes on to state, “In fairness to the current sheriff and his current staff, I felt it was best to work outside of the office while these evaluations are being conducted. During my campaign, I discussed my vision for a more modernized Sheriff's Office to better serve this community. I plan to hold a series of public meetings in the near future to discuss with Guadalupe County residents how we can improve this office and better serve you with integrity and professionalism. I served with these values ​​in the United States Marine Corps and as a Texas Ranger and will never give them up, personally or professionally. I will continue my commitment to serving this community over the next six months and work diligently on my plans to lead the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office with character and integrity.

Ray was not available for further comment regarding this decision. However, he said he looked forward to announcing town hall meetings with his future constituents very soon.