Palm Valley Police Chief Alvaro R. Garcia has been found guilty of tampering with government records.
A Cameron County jury handed down its guilty verdict after deliberating one-and-a-half hours Thursday morning.
They deliberated nearly two hours Wednesday before being sent home for the day.
Garcia is accused of tampering with government records, and his trial revolved around whether three of the police department’s employees attended in-person law enforcement training classes.
“I think the jury got it right,” said Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, commenting on the verdict. “The facts were pretty clear as to the bad conduct that the officer engaged in. It’s unfortunate when a police officer gets in trouble, but the public expects and demands accountability on behalf of the police officers. I commend them (the jury), and I hope the message goes out that nobody is above the law.”
Alvaro chose to be sentenced by 138th state District Court Judge Gabriela Garcia, who heard his case.
He’s scheduled to be sentenced March 21. He remains out on bond.
AIM Media Texas has reached out to Garcia’s defense attorney John Blaylock for comment.
A Cameron County grand jury on Nov. 28, 2018, indicted Garcia on three counts of tampering with government records with intent to defraud the Texas Municipal Police Association.
In closing arguments, Victoria Aranda, assistant district attorney for the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office, referred to Garcia as a “criminal,” stating he texted with one of employees after he found he was being investigated and asking her to talk to him first before she spoke to anyone else.
“You know who sends text messages like this? Criminals,” Aranda said.
Aranda also said the students who did the self-study and did not attend class in person should never have gotten credit for it.
The state of Texas said Garcia tampered with the documents indicating the students attended in-person study when they didn’t.
Blaylock questioned why Garcia, a longtime law enforcement officer and instructor, would risk his reputation for $255.
He said attending classes in person was not required and that Garcia allowed three of his students to self-study, even coaching them.
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