A veteran Houston police sergeant's career is under scrutiny after he was charged with solicitation of prostitution in a scene straight out of a gritty crime drama. Authorities arrested Sergeant Cesar Antonio Beltran, 57, yesterday, and he's since been relieved of duty as the allegations against him threaten to tarnish the badge he's worn since 1998.
Beltran, whose bond was set at $10,000 and was booked into the Harris County Jail, is accused of striking a deal on December 18 to pay for a sexual encounter with a victim of human trafficking, the sordid details include a planned threesome with another family member of the victim, according to court records cited by the Houston Chronicle. The documents suggest Beltran had an existing arrangement with the woman, though he could not be reached to either confirm or deny these allegations.
The Click2Houston reports the Houston Police Department (HPD) is rigorously enforcing their code of conduct, which may spell the end of Beltran's long tenure with the force. A statement by the HPD declared, "HPD holds its officers to the highest standards and will take appropriate action up to, and including, termination."
While the internal affairs investigation unfolds, HPD has ensured the public that such allegations are taken very seriously, positioning the integrity of the force above the fate of one man’s indiscretions as Beltran's future hangs in the balance, he had been a member of the Midwest Patrol Division since his swearing in, his fall from grace now subject to the due process that he once upheld. In response to these events, the Houston Chronicle has filed an open records request for Beltran’s personnel file, seeking more insight into the actions of the now-estranged officer.
