Two more Tucson police officers who were fired in the midst of a long-running prostitution investigation are at risk of losing their state certification for police work, officials said.
On Wednesday, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted to initiate proceedings against Vincent Valenzuela and Martin Walker, said board spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.
Valenzuela was fired in early August after police found evidence of felony computer tampering during the prostitution probe, internal affairs documents show.
He appealed his termination with the city’s Civil Service Commission in December and the department’s termination was overturned. He returned to work after serving a 40-hour suspension.
Valenzuela was reinstated to full-duty and is assigned to the unit that takes police reports by telephone, said Officer Daniel Lucas, a department spokesman.
The internal affairs investigation revealed that Valenzuela had a personal relationship with the alleged operator of one of the brothels, “Daisy’s Delights,” according to AZPOST documents.
In his interview with internal affairs, Valenzuela told detectives that he knew Stephanie Garcia from his previous job at her middle school, according to the internal affairs report.
He saw her again during a call to service when he worked for TPD, and they soon became Facebook friends, AZPOST documents show.
Valenzuela told investigators that he went to Garcia’s house in early 2014 to “hang out,” but after learning of her lifestyle he cut off contact with her. Internal affairs documents reveal that Valenzuela had phone contact with Garcia during the time he said they weren’t communicating.
During the investigation, detectives learned that in April 2014, Valenzuela used his work computer to run Stephanie Garcia’s name through state and federal law enforcement databases for no valid law enforcment reason, AZ Post documents show. He told investigators that he didn’t remember doing that.
Last January, Valenzuela assisted in serving a search warrant on Garcia’s home without notifying his supervisor of their personal relationship, according to the AZPOST documents.
“He attempted to minimize her role in the search warrants, indicating that had she been at the location, he would have advised his sergeant of his relationship with her, but since she was not present, it wasn’t necessary,” the AZPOST document reads.
Walker was fired from TPD last July for his alleged involvement as a customer of another illegal massage parlor chain, “By Spanish,” AZPOST documents show.
Walker told internal affairs investigators that he contacted “By Spanish” after learning about it on Backpage.com, and received a massage, according to AZPOST documents.
He told investigators that he didn’t engage in any sexual activity, but he should have reported his suspicions about the business being a prostitution front to the department’s chain of command, AZPOST documents say.
Walker said that he didn’t notify anyone because he was embarrassed.
“Walker was given a polygraph exam which resulted in Deception Indicated when asked if he ever engaged in sexual contact or conducted any fee agreement while employed by TPD.”
He also appealed his termination with the city’s Civil Service Commission, but the department’s decision was upheld.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges against either man.
Formal complaints will be mailed to Walker and Valenzuela, who have the opportunity for hearings with an administrative law judge, Sierra said.
The board can suspend or revoke an officer’s certificate for misconduct, including unlawful sexual conduct, or any behavior that diminishes the public trust in law enforcement.
Should either man lose his license, he will be prohibited from working as a law enforcement officer in Arizona.
Another former officer who was fired in the prostitution probe is also facing loss of certification and a fourth officer who resigned, but was retroactively terminated by the department, surrendered his certification last month.
It’s unknown if the three remaining fired officers will be brought before the AZPOST.
