An officer with the Rio Grande City Police Department was arrested Wednesday on accusations of harassing and following an ex-girlfriend.
The Starr County Special Crimes Unit arrested Jake Rodriguez, a 32-year-old officer with Rio Grande City police for seven years, on a charge of stalking, a third-degree felony, according to a statement issued by the department.
Rio Grande City police stated they were notified in February of a complaint filed against Rodriguez and forwarded the case to the Starr County Special Crimes Unit for investigation.
Pending the result of that investigation, Rodriguez was placed on administrative leave on March 10.
A woman who was previously in a romantic relationship with Rodriguez filed a report with the Starr County Sheriff’s Office in October 2018, in which she claimed Rodriguez had been watching her and another individual, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Then on Feb. 18, another individual filed a report with the sheriff’s office in which he accused Rodriguez of taking photos of his vehicle on Feb. 11.
An investigator executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence where he recovered several cellphones and digital storage devices. On the cellphones, the investigator discovered that Rodriguez kept a log of his ex-girlfriend’s license plate number, her whereabouts, and who she was with from Dec. 16, 2017 to July 7, 2019.
Both the ex-girlfriend and the other individual told investigators with the Special Crimes Unit they wanted to file charges against Rodriguez because “they were tired of being followed,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
Rodriguez was released Wednesday on a personal recognizance bond set by Justice of the Peace Roel “Role” Valadez, according to a spokesman for the Starr County Sheriff’s office.
