HPD officer accused of stealing drugs out on bond
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An 11-year veteran Houston police officer has been arrested and charged with tampering with evidence in a drug related case.
Officer Julissa Guzman Diaz posted the $100,000 bond, bail out of jail around 11 a.m. Friday morning.
In court, a prosecutor read new details about the case, revealing Diaz was part of an undercover investigation.
The information that follows came from the report read aloud:
On November 8, Diaz pulled over an undercover HPD officer driving southbound on Clearwood Drive off I-45.
In the undercover officer's car was one kilogram of powdered cocaine and seven kilograms of fake cocaine bundled, sitting in plain view in a duffel bag on the front passenger seat.
An audio recording device was on the inside of the undercover officer's car and on his body.
Diaz, who was on duty, turned on her emergency lights, stopped the undercover officer and asked him if he spoke Spanish. When the officer replied yes, the two started speaking in Spanish. Diaz told the undercover officer to drive to a nearby HEB.
Once Diaz and the undercover officer were parked at HEB, the undercover officer got out of his car. Diaz told the undercover officer he was swerving and asked if he had anything to drink, to which he replied, "no." The undercover officer also told Diaz he was not responsible for anything in the car and the cocaine didn't belong to him.
"Cocaine? Why are you telling me that? I was not going to check your vehicle," Diaz allegedly replied.
The report says Diaz then took the undercover officer to her car and asked him where his phone was. He said it probably fell between the front seats.
Prosecutors say Diaz is seen on video going into the undercover officer's car, searching for the phone. She saw the open duffel containing the cocaine and started moving the bag back and forth.
The report says Diaz told the undercover officer she was taking him downtown to blow. She said she was not going to inventory the car and doesn't want to know anything. Several times, the undercover officer told the defendant that the cocaine inside the car was not his. Diaz again said she didn't want to know about it.
Investigators say at this point, a wrecker driver arrived to hook up the undercover officer's car. The undercover officer said he heard the wrecker driver ask Diaz: "Where do you want to meet up?"
Diaz's response was inaudible.
Diaz transported the undercover officer to a sobering center. At that point, she was arrested.
Prosecutors say HPD officers then pulled over the wrecker driver who failed to turn on his turn signal before turning right. Officers said they could smell marijuana coming from the wrecker driver's "area." He was arrested and the cocaine was recovered from inside the undercover motor vehicle.
The judge found probable cause.
Now that Diaz has bonded out, she must follow rules set by the judge. She is not to drink or do drugs. She must wear a GPS tracking device, surrender her passport, surrender all weapons and remain in Harris County.
Hours before she bonded out, Joe Gamaldi, Vice President of the Houston Police Officer's Union, tweeted this:
"Although innocent until proven guilty, enraged than an officer within our department appears to have disgraced the badge we all hold so dear. At the same time, I could not be more proud that it was our members who investigated and arrested her."
In addition to Diaz, three other people were also taken into custody.
Court records show Jesse Holt, the tow truck driver, was arrested. Another man who was a passenger in the tow truck, and a third man who served as possible lookout in another car were also nabbed. All three have been charged with possession of marijuana, but additional charges could be added.
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