The city of Roma issued a response Monday on the arrest of one of their employees last week for allegedly stealing intimate photos from another employee’s cellphone.
City Attorney Martie Garcia Vela said Erbey Gonzalez, 55, works for the city as a technology technician and was suspended without pay following his arrest.
“The City of Roma has taken administrative action against an employee for his alleged illegal conduct and will continue to keep the workplace one that is free from harassment and hostile conduct,” Vela stated in an email.
Gonzalez’s arrest stems from allegations that in July he accessed, without consent, intimate photos from the phone of a woman who also works with the city and allegedly sent those photos to his phone, according to a probable cause affidavit.
After law enforcement executed a search warrant on his cellphone, Gonzalez allegedley asked to meet with the woman. Roma City Manager Crisanto Salinas allowed him to do so but insisted that others be present, the probable cause affidavit stated.
In the presence of that group, which included the woman, the city manager, and two other individuals, Gonzalez allegedly apologized to her several times and said that he didn’t mean anything bad by it.
Those who were at that meeting corroborated what Gonzalez said to investigators and added that he had asked the woman to help him out by stopping the investigation or by not filing charges, according to the affidavit.
An attempt to reach Gonzalez for comment Monday was unsuccessful.
Investigators with the Starr County Special Crimes Unit arrested and charged Gonzalez on Sept. 30 with invasive visual recording.
The day of his arrest, Justice of the Peace Roel “Role” Valadez set a $10,000.00 personal recognizance bond and Gonzalez was released that day.
