A grand jury Thursday indicted the Palo Pinto County Sheriff who is accused of using a tape recorder to spy on his former girlfriend.

Sheriff Ira Mercer has been charged with two felony counts of unlawful interception of oral communication.

Officials said he used a tape recorder to intercept or attempt to intercept the communication of his on-again, off-again girlfriend Julie Easley by "installing or affixing an electronic, mechanical, and/or other devise," the Mineral Wells Index reported.

The recording is said to have happened in January and December last year.

Earlier this year, a grand jury declined to indict Mercer on an assault charge that involved an altercation with Easley at the sheriff's home, the Index reported.

Easley, the assistant Texas attorney general prosecutors who presented the case, and the sheriff's office declined to comment to the Index.

Mercer turned himself in Thursday morning in Young County and bonded out, WFAA-TV (Channel 8) reported.

Mercer began his service with Palo Pinto County law enforcement as a detention officer in 1989. Prior to serving as sheriff, he was a district attorney investigator from 2001 to 2004.

He has been the sheriff since January 2005, and his attorney has said he can continue working, even under a felony indictment, WFAA reported.

Mercer had already planned on giving up the position at the end of the year. Lake Worth City Manager Brett McGuire will take over as sheriff in January.