As a former school resource officer for the Yuma Police Department waits to learn when he’ll stand trial on 28 felonies related to the sexual abuse of a minor, two of his onetime co-workers could lose their peace officer certifications next week.
Bobby Anthony Garcia began working for YPD in 2015 but resigned after being placed on paid administrative leave in May 2019 when questions arose about his relationship with a female minor in 2017 and 2018. He was indicted in December on 28 felonies including 15 counts of sexual conduct with a minor, 9 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and tampering with evidence.
Among the evidence purportedly presented to the grand jury included phone records and other data extracted from Garcia’s cellphone with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service, according to public records.
Garcia, 39, is out of custody on a $100,000 surety bond. He has been ordered to appear in Yuma County Superior Court on May 28 for a case management conference at which time Judge Roger Nelson could announce a trial date.
In February, Garcia’s peace officer certification was permanently revoked by the Arizona Peace Officer Stands and Training (AZPOST) board. At the same meeting, the board also voted to initiate proceedings against former Yuma officers Elena Carrillo and Aaron Goodrich accused of engaging in misconduct.
Public records show Carrillo was on-duty last September when she drove an unmarked Yuma Police patrol car to a local residence where she confronted her husband, who was in the residence with another woman. Carrillo was not cited or charged for her conduct, but her employment with YPD ended Nov. 18.
On May 20, the AZPOST board will address whether to suspend or revoke Carrillo’s peace office certification, which is required for any sworn officer of a municipal, county, or state agency in Arizona.
The board will also consider the certification status of Goodrich, who left YPD less than two weeks before Carrillo after he came under investigation for recklessly driving at speeds of up to 80 mph in a 35 mph while off-duty. He was also accused of drinking beer from a local establishment then leaving without payment.
The misconduct issues involving Garcia, Carrillo, and Goodrich aren’t the only recent turmoil at Yuma PD.
Yuma PD Sgt. Henry Valenzuela made headlines early last year when then-Police Chief John Lekan blocked Valenzuela’s nomination as the department’s Sworn Supervisor of the Year for 2018. In response, Valenzuela filed a human resources complaint which alleged “hostile and retaliatory treatment” by City Administrator Greg Wilkinson.
Media reports at the time show Valenzuela had been engaging in repeated and public questioning of city finances. He contended the city administrator interfered with the award as reprisal for the sergeant’s comments.
The city contracted an outside law firm to review Valenzuela’s allegations, but the firm’s final report noted there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Wilkinson, who had already resigned.
Lekan retired in March 2019 and his deputy chief, Susan Smith, was promoted to chief. One of Smith’s first acts as chief was to present Valenzuela with the award.
The city administrator was also involved in the 2014 firing of YPD Officer Davida Dyer, who was the subject of an internal affairs review in 2013 following her identification of the driver of a car that fled from police. She later recanted, admitting she couldn’t positively identify the suspect.
Wilkinson fired Dyer despite a finding by the city’s Merit System Board that termination was not warranted. In 2016, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled there was a technical error in Wilkinson’s decision and sent the case back to Yuma Superior Court for further proceedings.
The order terminating Dyer was later corrected and in May 2018 the court of appeals upheld the city administrator’s action.