A Georgetown judge is off the bench after being indicted for allegedly selling firearms to a convicted felon, helping to smuggle firearms, and lying to law enforcement about gun sales, among other charges.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct on April 8 suspended Williamson County Court-at-Law No. 2 Judge Tim Wright one day after federal prosecutors unveiled a nine-count indictment against him. If convicted, the judge could face up to 80 years in prison: 10 years on each of the seven counts related to firearms and up to five years in prison on each of the two counts of making false statements, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.

The government also seeks to seize the judge's 51 guns, $42,604 in alleged criminal proceeds and a 2013 Ford F-150.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane issued an arrest warrant for Wright on April 7. Wright appeared in court on April 8, and Lane released him on a $25,000 bond. In an order setting conditions of release, Lane ordered that Wright cannot possess guns or weapons and ordered him to surrender his concealed handgun license. Lane also restricted Wright's travel to Central Texas, prohibited him from using alcohol or drugs, and ordered him to get mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Wright must go back to court on April 15 for arraignment, when he will enter a plea to the charges.

Mike Galdo, the assistant U.S. attorney representing the government, declined to comment. Jeff Senter, Wright's criminal-defense lawyer, did not return a call for comment.

Indictment

According to the April 7 indictment in United States v. Wright, the judge faces three counts of selling firearms to a prohibited person; one count of aiding and abetting and facilitating the smuggling and attempted smuggling of firearms; one count of facilitating the smuggling and attempted smuggling of firearms; two counts of false statement during purchase of a firearm; and two counts of false statement to government agents.

The indictment alleges that on three dates in February, Wright sold seven pistols to "J.C.," a person Wright knew or had cause to believe had been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.

Between June and October 2014, Wright allegedly helped or attempted to export multiple firearms from the country, although neither the judge nor the gun buyer had a license or authorization to export the guns. He again attempted to export guns between Dec. 4, 2014, and March 27, according to the indictment.

When the judge bought six Zastava M92 firearms at a Georgetown gun store on July 14, 2014, he allegedly lied on a written statement by saying he was the actual buyer of the guns when he knew he was buying them for someone else. He did the same thing at another gun store on Dec. 19, 2014, when buying two Glock .45 caliber pistols, the government claims.

Then on March 27, Wright allegedly lied to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent by saying he had not sold any guns "between the time ATF agents visited him on Sept. 23, 2014, and the time in January 2015 when he began selling as a licensed firearm dealer." The government alleges the statement was false because Wright had sold guns in December 2014 and then "created false paperwork representing falsely the sale took place in August 2014."

The government also alleges Wright lied by telling the ATF agent he hadn't sold J.C. any guns or allowed him to be present at sales after learning J.C. was a felon. The indictment said the statement was false because Wright had sold J.C. guns three times after learning he was a felon.