Allen Mayor Pro Tem Gary Caplinger arrested on child pornography charges

Allen’s longtime mayor pro tem turned himself in to authorities Thursday on two child pornography charges.

Gary Leon Caplinger, 56, was booked into the Collin County jail on one count of possession of child pornography and one count of possession with intent to promote child pornography. His bail was set at $80,000, and he posted bond a short time later.

His attorney, Todd Shapiro, said there wasn’t much he could say about what he called a drawn-out case until he examined the evidence gathered by authorities. But he said Caplinger is “certainly innocent until proven otherwise.” He noted that authorities did not arrest Caplinger when they executed a search warrant but instead referred the case to a grand jury.

Further information about allegations was not immediately available. Jail records indicate that the alleged incidents occurred in August 2019 and March 2020.

Caplinger, a real estate agent, was first elected to Allen’s City Council in 2006 and has been mayor pro tem since 2012, according to the city’s website. He previously served on the city’s planning and zoning commission, and he was a reserve police officer for 10 years.

The city said in a statement that officials “were shocked to learn” of Caplinger’s arrest and that the case did not originate with the city’s police department.

Shapiro said his client had not yet made any decisions about his future on the City Council. Caplinger’s current term, which ends in May, will be his final one because of term limits.

“I’m sure there are people in the community who would want him to resign now,” Shapiro said. But, he added, “I would hope we still believe in giving someone his due process and day in court.”