The city of Fair Oaks Ranch released the results of an investigation into its police department that it says clears its police chief of any wrongdoing.
A third-party independent investigation into complaints filed against Fair Oaks Ranch Police Chief Tim Moring found the complaints were lodged, in part, to cover up a years-long inappropriate sexual relationship between two members of the police department, former police Sergeant Paul Zepeda and former police officer Lacey Gonzalez.
The Fair Oaks Ranch City Council, at its Nov. 16 meeting, voted to release the investigative report, which “determined all of the allegations made against Police Chief Tim Moring were unfounded or not sustained,” Mayor Greg Maxton said in a video statement.
Attempts to reach Gonzalez’s attorney, Adam Muery, senior partner at Muery & Farrell PC, were unsuccessful.
Independent investigator Jesse Prado conducted the six-week examination of facts, witness statements and allegations provided in two complaints filed against Moring by Zepeda and Gonzalez.
“Investigator Prado’s determination from the investigation is that Zepeda and Gonzalez submitted their complaints in an attempt to distract attention away from themselves and conceal their inappropriate sexual relationship,” Maxton read.
“I want to make certain to our residents that we maintain full confidence in our police chief and our police department as they continue to ensure that we remain one of the safest cities in the state of Texas,” Maxton said.
Prado, owner and manager of the state-licensed investigation company, JPPI Investigations LLC., has more than 30 years of investigative experience, Maxton said, with 21 of those years logged while serving as a detective in the organized crime division of the Austin Police Department.
Prado was hired as a thirdparty to conduct the inquiry as recommended by the Fair Oaks Ranch city attorney’s law firm, Denton Navarro Rocha Bernal and Zech.
The probe showed that on July 14, Moring launched an internal investigation based on a complaint he received regarding an alleged inappropriate ongoing sexual relationship between Gonzalez and her supervisor, Zepeda.
On the same day the internal investigation began, Maxton said, “Sgt. Zepeda and officer Gonzalez submitted their resignations from the Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department.”
Within days, however, both officers requested to rescind their resignations and asked to be returned to the police department.
Gonzalez returned to her position, but Zepeda’s request was denied by City Manager Scott Huizenga.
Just two weeks later, on July 28, Fair Oaks Ranch received an official complaint against Moring, filed by Gonzalez. The 14-page complaint alleged misconduct in a hostile work environment.
Just days later, the city received a second complaint, from Zepeda, on Aug. 3, also containing allegations against Moring.
On Aug. 7, the law firm recommended hiring Prado to look into the matter.
On Aug. 11, Huizenga notified Moring of the two complaints and placed the police chief on paid administrative leave while the complaints were being investigated.
The city provided Prado with the complaints on Aug. 14 and the investigator wrapped up his investigation on Sept. 27. Among his findings: * All of the allegations made against Police Chief Moring were unfounded or not sustained.
* Zepeda and Gonzalez submitted their complaints to distract attention away from themselves and conceal their inappropriate sexual relationship.
* Gonzalez’s conduct “includes sustained findings of dereliction of duty and untruthfulness.” Prado also noted that if Zepeda were still employed by the city, he would have made those same findings against him.
* Concrete evidence determined that Zepeda and Gonzalez had a six-year ongoing, inappropriate sexual relationship.
* Gonzalez’s dismissal from the police department was due, in part, to her providing false statements as part of the investigation conducted by Prado. She was untruthful when questioned about her relationship with Zepeda.
Additionally, Prado determined during questioning that Gonzalez did not give all of the facts, and insinuated without proof, information and allegations that were not credible.
Furthermore, Prado found that Zepeda and Gonzalez’s complaints “targeted … the people that had knowledge of their affair, or were the people conducting the internal investigation into the alleged affair,” Maxton read.
Moring resumed command of the police department on Oct. 10.
“I want to assure our residents that we maintain full trust in our police chief and our police department as they continue to protect our city and our residents day in and day out,” the mayor said. “The council and I believe it is important that we share with our residents the events that led to this investigation and the actions taken by the city as a result of its findings.”
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