Summary

On February 9, 2012, former patrol officers Luis Acosta and Joshua Paulson were indicted for tampering with a government record with the intent to defraud by an El Paso County grand jury, El Paso, Texas.  Mr. Acosta was indicted on 18 counts, and Mr. Paulson was indicted on two counts. 

The former officers are accused of submitting overtime reimbursement requests containing false information as to the times worked and number of traffic citations issued.  The requests were submitted in 2009 while working overtime under the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, which is funded through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grant.  Mr. Acosta and Mr. Paulson are part of a group of twenty-two El Paso police officers suspected to date in this traffic ticket overtime scheme.  

This investigation is being conducted jointly with the El Paso Police Department and El Paso County District Attorney's Office, with assistance from NHTSA and the Texas Department of Transportation. 

Note:  Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.