A former City of Austin forensics manager has been slapped with charges of theft and falsifying records after, according to an arrest affidavit, allegedly using a city-issued credit card to make personal purchases worth $3,000. Efrain Perez, 46, who helmed the Forensics Services Department of the city, faces a state jail felony charge for allegedly buying Amazon gift cards and rifle accessories with city funds as detailed in a CBS Austin report.
Under scrupulous observation during a routine city audit, the Austin American-Statesman reported that Perez managed daily operations and made and approved staff purchases for the Forensic Science Department, drawing a salary of approximately $121,000. Accused of purchasing about $1,500 in gift cards and $1,550 in firearm accessories, the stolen funds present an appalling betrayal from someone entrusted to uphold forensic integrity.
According to court documents, the abyss between the bogus receipts and actual Amazon order details that Perez allegedly provided, showed the purchases of gift cards and AR-15 accessories shipped directly to his residential address instead of the office. When approached, Perez was unable to iron out the discrepancies detailed in these documents, which has led to the criminal charges he now faces.
The audit attached a memo from Dr. Dana Kadavy, the city's Forensic Science Department director, stating the department reviewed the audit findings and did not dispute its claims. Reassured by the procedural bulwark that allowed for the detection of misuse, Dr. Kadavy commented in December, “we have the correct policies and procedures in place that led to the misuse being detected.” Michele Gonzalez, strategic communications and external relations officer for the city, on the ongoing investigation, maintained, “The City is not in a position to comment on an ongoing criminal matter.”
Perez's fall from grace hit the books earlier this month when court records filed on Jan. 10 formally charged him with property theft and tampering with government records. Austin Police have confirmed his arrest, and he now awaits the gears of justice to turn in what stands as a cautionary tale for stewards of public resources. Perez, who was hired in 2013, resigned from his position in May before an audit published in late 2023 laid bare the alleged misconduct.
