SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Sheriff's Office arrested a now former deputy for official oppression after a 2019 traffic stop and arrest that the driver caught on camera.
Deputy Joel Chavez, 51, said in his official report that he saw the driver reach under his seat and saw a controlled substance under his seat during a traffic stop. He arrested the 39-year-old man for two counts of possession of a controlled substance. The driver's footage of the arrest was shown to police, which led to an investigation that determined he made an illegal search and lied on his official report.
Sheriff Javier Salazar ordered his dismissal after the investigation, and the Public Integrity Unit filed a case against him. He taken into custody without incident and charged with official oppression, a class a misdemeanor.
“In making an arrest, this now former deputy’s conduct clearly crossed the line into blatant misconduct," Sheriff Salazar said. "In the interest of our integrity and maintenance of standards, he is being held accountable to the fullest extent.”
