Krum police and the Denton County District Attorney’s Office are investigating whether to seek an indictment against former Krum Mayor Larry Lamonica for allegedly tampering with government records after he removed files from City Hall in May.

“I am pretty limited in what I can confirm at this point, since this is in the investigation stage,” First Assistant District Attorney Jamie Beck said in an e-mail. “That said, I can confirm that Krum PD has filed a tampering with a governmental record charge with our office.”

Krum police brought the case to the district attorney this month.

Krum police Lt. Dennis Bassinger said he could not comment on the case because of the ongoing investigation.

Lamonica denies any wrongdoing.

“There was no criminal intent, just an intent to tidy up,” Lamonica said. “Let’s just see how this can be a crime.”

Lamonica has acknowledged that, before vacating his office in City Hall, he erased phone numbers from his city-issued cellphone and emptied filing cabinets in the mayor’s office. He lost a re-election bid to Terri Wilson in the May 12 general election.

City attorney Lance Vanzant wrote Lamonica a letter July 6 demanding that the files be returned. Lamonica has said that he discussed the letter with Vanzant, and thought the matter was settled.

Lamonica said he took his personal notes with him.

After learning that city officials did not agree the matter was settled, he sent a written reply to Vanzant on Sept. 23 pledging to cooperate.

Since then, he returned everything he had to the city, he said.

“They were copies of copies of things, such as the audit. There were no master copies,” Lamonica said.

He said that he left city records, such as files of pending lawsuits, with the city secretary.

Tampering with a government record can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or a felony. To be prosecuted as a felony, the defendant must have intended to defraud or harm another person.

A felony conviction carries a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

PEGGYHEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.