SAN ANTONIO – A former Bexar County Sheriff's Office narcotics officer is on trial accused of theft, fraud and misapplication of funds.
Anthony Alvarado, 35, allegedly juggled paperwork to reflect payment to confidential informants and then kept the money for himself according to prosecutors.
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Among the allegations are claims that Alvarado would have confidential informants fill out blank vouchers for payment.
"Was it a common practice for confidential informants to fill out blank vouchers?" Defense Attorney Mike McCrum asked Deputy John Aguillon, a former narcotics officer.
"No," Aguillon answered.
But he testified that detectives would not always pay informants the amount agreed upon because they would collect on loans they had made to an informant.
"There were officers that did loan money to informants," Aguillon testified. "In fact, I did also."
It's just the cost of doing business in the world of illegal narcotics traffic, he testified.
"You try to keep them in your favor because if not, they will go somewhere else because they need the money," Aguillon said.
Alvarado was fired from his job following an internal investigation.
If he is convicted, he is facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Testimony will continue on Monday in Judge Lori Valenzuela's 437th District Court.
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