A San Antonio Police Department officer with 16 years on the force has been revealed to have admitted to performing sex acts on children as young as three, according to disciplinary records released this week. Officer Albert Sanchez was suspended without pay on Jan. 12 following his arrest on a charge of possession of child pornography, KSAT Investigates reported.
The troubling allegations against Sanchez came to light when a woman, in a relationship with him, contacted authorities with evidence of his crimes. Sanchez, who reportedly admitted to his indiscretions in text message conversations with the woman, had been on leave for an unrelated issue stemming from an on-duty shooting last year. Following up on the woman's tip-off, SAPD investigators began to unravel the veteran officer's secret life.
Upon analyzing Sanchez's cellphones, they uncovered disturbing communications where Sanchez not only described sexual acts with minors but also alluded to having pictures and possibly recordings from these incidents. Sanchez tried to dismiss his communications as mere fantasy when confronted by investigators, according to a search warrant obtained by KSAT. However, the evidence suggested otherwise, leading to his arrest after explicit images of minors were found on his phone.
Further claims have emerged implicating Sanchez in "sexting" conversations across various cell phones. When challenged about these communications, he claimed he was attempting to expose an online pedophile, a story that investigators found questionable as they could not link this behavior to his work duties. Sanchez, who is 38, is now facing ongoing investigations for aggravated sexual assault of a child, though he remains out on bond, awaiting indictment.
The attorney representing Sanchez has remained silent, offering no comments on the matter. The SAPD has also not publicly updated the status of this case, despite multiple inquiries. The full extent of the allegations and any potential additional charges remain the subject of investigation, leaving looming questions about just how a member of law enforcement could deviate so far from the protector role society entrusts them with.
