Texas police sergeant faces criminal charges for using law enforcement computer to dig up info on Alice Mayor, resident – KIIITV.com

ALICE, Texas The mayor of Alice, Texas, did not hold back Thursday when discussing why she filed criminal charges against a sergeant in the city's police force.

Sgt. Enrique Saenz has been put on indefinite suspension by the Alice Police Department.

"He violated to go to the badge. If he felt comfortable doing it to the mayor of the city, who knows what he can do to my citizens? That's my fear. The protection of my citizens. It all goes back to public safety. He took an oath to protect and serve, and he violated completely," Alice Mayor Jolene Vanover said.

The City of Alice provided 3News with the charge letter against Saenz. It indicates that back in March the FBI began an investigation into allegations of unauthorized personal use of government office equipment, including information technology. The Alice police chief said the FBI revealed that Saenz' online investigative account had been compromised.

"In that system, all your personally identifying information is in there. So Social Security, everything, you know?" Vanover said. "He could take my identity and use it how he wants to."

The FBI continues its investigation, and meanwhile the City of Alice has hired an independent investigator.

According to the charge letter, Saenz admitted to using the system to search for information about friends and family members as a way to test the accuracy of the system. The letter also states that Saenz did a search on Mayor Vanover for reasons that the sergeant could not credibly explain.

The charge letter also accuses Saenz of using his law enforcement computer system to look up information on another Alice resident, Newell Atkinson. The letter states that Saenz admitted to searching for information about Atkinson because he perceived that Atkinson was against the collective bargaining effort going on between the City of Alice and the police union.

The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas will represent Saenz at his civil service hearing connected to his suspension.

"We are anxious to get this case before an arbitrator. The arbitration is a public hearing which will take place within the next six months. We will be able to put forth all of our evidence and our arguments about why he should never have been fired," CLEAT Attorney Celeste Robertson said.

Vanover told 3News that she believes Saenz should never again be a police officer. She also filed criminal charges against Saenz for fraudulent use of government property, misuse of authority, and official oppression.

"To think that he was above the law, it's not okay. I don't care who you are, where you're at, how long you've been in the department," Vanover said. "Nobody is above the law."

Vanover said the Texas Rangers are also looking into Saenz' charges.