Former Uvalde school district police chief Joshua Gutierrez and colleague Melissa M. Castañeda have been indicted on evidence tampering charges in connection with a package containing feces sent to the school district.
An Uvalde County grand jury indicted former police chief Joshua Gutierrez and officer Melissa M. Castañeda on Nov. 3 for evidence tampering, accusing them of improperly disposing of a package containing feces discovered in March 2024. The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office confirmed both turned themselves in and were released on bond, according to Uvalde Leader-News.
As per FOX San Antonio, The incident began when school staff reported the hazardous, feces-filled package to then-campus officer Melissa M. Castañeda. She and former chief Joshua Gutierrez are now accused of tampering with evidence during an active investigation into a potential school safety threat. Three UCISD staff members sought medical attention after exposure to the package, experiencing allergy-like symptoms.
Joshua Gutierrez became permanent Uvalde school district police chief in March 2023 after serving as interim chief under former UCISD interim superintendent Gary Patterson, leaving the position by June 2024, as reported by Uvalde Leader-News. Melissa M. Castañeda, previously a Tucson, Arizona, police officer, joined the UCISD police force in February 2023 and has past experience as a patrol officer with the Killeen Police Department. Since leaving the department, Gutierrez has built a following on TikTok, pursuing work as a digital creator and published model.
Gutierrez is the third former UCISD police chief to face criminal charges. His predecessors, Leo Flores and Pete Arredondo, also encountered legal issues—Flores voluntarily surrendered his peace officer license, while Arredondo is awaiting trial in connection with the Robb Elementary School shooting.
