Corrections Officer in the Hot Seat

An El Paso corrections officer may find himself amongst the inmates he once kept watch over after police arrested him on suspicion of insurance fraud.

According to the El Paso Times, 28-year-old Derric Valdez was arrested after police accused him of reporting his truck stolen under false pretenses.

“Deputies allege that Derric Vidalez, 28, called his insurance company, United Services Automobile Association, and falsely reported that his new 2010 Nissan Titan truck, worth $33,000, had been stolen and wrecked on Aug. 29.”

“Deputies also allege that Vidalez filed a false incident report with the Sheriff’s Office about 7:45 a.m. that day. In the report, Vidalez said the truck was taken from his home in the 13700 block of Paseo Verde Drive between 11:30 p.m. Aug. 28 and 6 a.m. Aug. 29.”

Records indicated that by Sept 1^st, detectives believed that Valdez’s story was groundless and suspected he was involved in an alcohol related hit-and-run before reporting his truck stolen.  Deputies arrested Valdez on the suspicion of insurance fraud of more than $20,000. According to a Sheriff’s affidavit, Valdez eventually “admitted in writing” to the crime.

Valdez tendered his resignation after being released on bond from the El Paso County Jail.  That was, of course, after he was informed that willful misrepresentation while filing a police report and insurance fraud are both grounds for termination.