Summary

On March 22, 2012, two former El Paso Police Department police officers, Jorge Arellano and Charles Romo, were indicted on multiple counts of tampering with a government record with the intent to defraud by an El Paso County grand jury, El Paso, Texas.   

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 through 2011 while working overtime under the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, which is funded through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grant.  Mr. Arellano and Mr. Romo 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.