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Texas trooper Snoop Dogg, At least it wasn't Willie Nelson. A Texas public safety trooper has been forced to undergo "counseling" by his department for being photographed with a "well-known" criminal: Snoop Dogg.

Trooper Billy Spears, who was snapped in uniform beside the multi-platinum rapper at the South by Southwest music festival, is now fighting back, his lawyer says, while arguing that while he agreed to be photographed he didn’t realize the famed pot smoker had drug convictions, or that they’d affect him.

“Martha Stewart, she's a convicted felon. What about Randy Travis? He's had run-ins with the law,” Spears' attorney Ty Clevenger told the Daily News while rattling off other celebrities with rap sheets.

In the photo taken last month Spears stands with his hands by his side while Tha Doggfather rapper, who has been convicted several times of drug possession, poses with an arm on his shoulder.

"Me n my deputy dogg," Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, captioned the snap on Instagram after apparently requesting the photo himself while serving as the Austin event's keynote speaker.

Spears' department eventually saw the photo — that didn’t identify Spears or his department by name — and apparently pounced.

While working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background including numerous drug charges," their counseling reprimand, obtained by The News, read. "The public figure posted the photo on social media and it reflects poorly on the Agency."

In an area reserved on the document for “reasons given by employee for deficiencies” it reads: “He asked to take the photo.”

In a statement released by Texas' Department of Public Safety Wednesday, they declined to release specifics about his case but clarified that they don’t consider the reprimand to be formal discipline.

"Supervisors counsel and coach employees on a regular basis, and these efforts do not constitute formal discipline by the department," they said.

Though the disciplinary action is informal, Clevenger says it'll stay on Spears' record and has no means of appeal. A DPS spokeswoman declined to confirm that claim.

Because of that Clevenger says they’ll sue.

“It's weird; it's nuts and we're waiting on DPS to explain itself,” he added."Everyone keeps asking me if this is an April fool's joke. I say 'no, I promise it's not.'"

Speculating on another motive for the reprimand, Clevenger suggested that it may have stemmed from a prior situation involving Spears last year.

That's when Spears reported an Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer for unprofessional conduct, he said. That complaint resulted in an investigation against Spears and his suspension which was later overturned when he was cleared of all wrong doing.

"Billy filed a complaint and instead of investigating the complaint they came after Billy," Clevenger said.“There was no basis for it."

Texas trooper snoop dogg, It’s been a big week for marijuana busts in Texas. On Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that a trooper seized a staggering $24 million worth of marijuana during a recent traffic stop along the Mexico border.

But a cannabis crackdown of a different kind is making even larger headlines in the Lone Star State.That’s because the state police snagged one of its own officers. The offense? Posing for a photo with rap star Snoop Dogg — who’s been very public about his affinity for pot.

The snapshot, taken at Snoop’s request, shows veteran Trooper Billy Spears — wearing the department’s iconic uniform and cowboy hat — standing backstage with the rapper during Austin’s recent South by Southwest music festival.

Snoop later published the photo on Instagram with the caption, “Me n my deputy dogg.”

When the state police top brass caught wind of the photo, they informed Spears that he should have declined the photo op, given Snoop’s admitted indulgence in the illegal drug.

“While working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background including numerous drug charges,” the department wrote in a reprimand. “The public figure posted the photo on social media and it reflects poorly on the Agency.”

Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Broadus, was in and out of prison in the early 1990s for drug possession. In 1993, he and his bodyguard were charged with the murder of a rival gang member but later acquitted. Through the years, he has not been shy about his propensity for smoking pot.Spears, a trooper for nearly 20 years, is a married father of two. He patrols the Piney Woods of East Texas and is stationed not far from country star Miranda Lambert’s hometown.

“Billy did not know about Snoop Dogg’s criminal history,” Ty Clevenger, an attorney representing the trooper, wrote on his website. “Believe it or not, some folks don’t watch TMZ or read People Magazine. … Would the DPS hierarchy get so bent out of shape about a picture with Willie Nelson?”

Clevenger is fighting to get the punishment removed from Spears’ personnel file.

“DPS has no policy requiring a criminal background check on everyone who requests a picture with a uniformed trooper,” the attorney stated. “In fact, DPS has no policy forbidding a photograph with someone who has a criminal conviction.”

DPS spokesman Tom Vinger called the incident a personnel mater and declined to discuss the Spears case.

The reprimand Spears received is titled a “Counseling Record,” but does not mean the officer is ordered to submit to ongoing instruction or guidance.

On the document, his supervisor writes: “Use good Judgment when taking photos with anyone while in uniform. Be mindful of social media outlets and how such photos can negatively affect the Agency.”

Spears was ordered to describe how he will work to avoid similar situations in the future.

Texas trooper Snoop Dogg, A Texas public safety trooper has been forced to undergo "counseling" by his department for being photographed with a "well-known" criminal: Snoop Dogg.Trooper Billy Spears, who was snapped in uniform beside the multi-platinum rapper at the South by Southwest music festival, is now fighting back, his lawyer says, while arguing that while he agreed to be photographed he didn’t realize the famed pot smoker had drug convictions, or that they’d affect him.

“Martha Stewart, she's a convicted felon. What about Randy Travis? He's had run-ins with the law,” Spears' attorney Ty Clevenger told the Daily News while rattling off other celebrities with rap sheets.

In the photo taken last month Spears stands with his hands by his side while Tha Doggfather rapper, who has been convicted several times of drug possession, poses with an arm on his shoulder.

"Me n my deputy dogg," Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, captioned the snap on Instagram after apparently requesting the photo himself while serving as the Austin event's keynote speaker.

Spears' department eventually saw the photo — that didn’t identify Spears or his department by name — and apparently pounced.While working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background including numerous drug charges," their counseling reprimand, obtained by The News, read. "The public figure posted the photo on social media and it reflects poorly on the Agency."

In an area reserved on the document for “reasons given by employee for deficiencies” it reads: “He asked to take the photo.”

In a statement released by Texas' Department of Public Safety Wednesday, they declined to release specifics about his case but clarified that they don’t consider the reprimand to be formal discipline.

"Supervisors counsel and coach employees on a regular basis, and these efforts do not constitute formal discipline by the department," they said.

Though the disciplinary action is informal, Clevenger says it'll stay on Spears' record and has no means of appeal. A DPS spokeswoman declined to confirm that claim.

Because of that Clevenger says they’ll sue.

“It's weird; it's nuts and we're waiting on DPS to explain itself,” he added."Everyone keeps asking me if this is an April fool's joke. I say 'no, I promise it's not.'"

Speculating on another motive for the reprimand, Clevenger suggested that it may have stemmed from a prior situation involving Spears last year.

That's when Spears reported an Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer for unprofessional conduct, he said. That complaint resulted in an investigation against Spears and his suspension which was later overturned when he was cleared of all wrong doing.

"Billy filed a complaint and instead of investigating the complaint they came after Billy," Clevenger said.“There was no basis for it."