Thomas Kantzos was charged with exceeding authorized access to a protected computer, an offense carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He appeared Wednesday in Dallas federal court and was released.
The complaint alleges a scheme involving several officers in the department who were helping Kantzos make improper searches of law enforcement records for the dealer. Another officer arrested in the case committed suicide Tuesday in his home, according to Arlington police.
A third officer is being questioned.
The complaint says Kantzos exchanged text messages for about a year with a cooperating witness who has admitted to selling steroids and human growth hormone. In several text messages quoted in the complaint, Kantzos is alleged to have made specific orders of the steroids known as Winstrol and Deca-Durabolin, along with testosterone.
In one message, he's alleged to have asked the dealer: "How much ... Gotta a guy wanting a bottle."
The complaint written by an FBI agent accuses Kantzos of tipping off the dealer two years ago that a drug task force officer was watching him. Later text messages revealed several requests for Kantzos to "run a plate" in state records. Later checks showed several people from Arlington police ran searches for license plates around the time that the witness asked for them.
Kantzos, 45, knew the witness "was distributing drugs in violation of state and federal law when the CW asked Kantzos to run queries on law enforcement databases," the complaint alleged.
The other officers accused of helping Kantzos are not identified by name.
According to Arlington police, police officer David Vo, 35, committed suicide after being arrested last weekend pending charges. A third officer, 34-year-old Craig Hermans, was being questioned in the investigation.
Hermans and Kantzos have been placed on administrative leave.
"The actions of these individuals are in no way a reflection of the values of our agency and the dedication of the more than 800 men and women who faithfully serve the citizens of the Arlington community," police spokeswoman Tiara Ellis Richard said in a statement. "When we learned of the criminal allegations against our employees, we actively cooperated with the federal and state investigation."
An attorney for Kantzos was not listed in court records. A phone number listed for Kantzos was disconnected.
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