An off-duty Lewisville police officer was arrested in Heath last Friday after authorities say he was caught engaged in sexual activity with a 16-year-old in a public place. The officer was taken into custody, booked into the Rockwall County Jail, and is now at the center of a criminal investigation led by the Heath Department of Public Safety and Rockwall County authorities. The case remains active, and officials are keeping a tight lid on further details while investigators continue their work.
In a press release posted by the Lewisville Police Department, Chief Brook Rollins identified the officer as Zacur Vargas and said he was off duty, out of uniform, and not engaged in department business at the time of the encounter. Rollins called the accusations "extremely serious and deeply concerning," and the department says it has opened an internal affairs investigation and placed Vargas on administrative leave. According to the release, Vargas has been with the department since May 2025 and was assigned to the patrol division.
How The Arrest Unfolded
According to the Lewisville Police Department, Heath Department of Public Safety officers responded to a 9-1-1 call about suspicious activity at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Dec. 12. When officers arrived, they found Vargas and the 16-year-old involved in sexual activity in a public place. Vargas was arrested at the scene and booked into the Rockwall County Jail, while Heath and Rockwall County authorities continue the criminal investigation.
Legal Implications And Next Steps
The department described the allegation as "sexual assault of a child," an offense that Texas law treats as particularly serious when the alleged victim is under 17. As outlined in the Texas Penal Code, sexual offenses involving children can fall under multiple sections, and depending on the circumstances, aggravated sexual assault carries first-degree felony penalties. Prosecutors in Rockwall County will review the investigation and decide how to proceed with formal charges.
Department Context
The arrest lands at a tense moment for the Lewisville Police Department, which has already been under scrutiny following several recent cases and internal reviews. Earlier this year, The Dallas Morning News reported that a former Lewisville officer was indicted on stalking and sexual-assault-related allegations linked to his on-duty conduct. Vargas was also listed among new officers sworn into the department this year in a previous report by Hoodline that swears in five new officers.
Contact information for the Heath Department of Public Safety and related community resources is available through the City of Heath website. This story will be updated as courts and local agencies release additional information.
