Cop-in-training faces child pornography charges after being arrested at San Antonio law enforcement academy

Armando Vidales Jr., 23, faces two counts of felony possession with intent to promote child pornography

Armando A. Vidales Jr. (KSAT/Atascosa County)

ATASCOSA COUNTY, Texas – An Atascosa County man training in San Antonio to become a police officer faces multiple felony child pornography charges after being taken into custody late last week, Sheriff David Soward confirmed Thursday.

Armando Vidales Jr., 23, faces two counts of possession with intent to promote child pornography, both of which are 2nd-degree felonies, Soward said.

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The charges stem from a warrant executed March 5 at a home in Poteet by the Texas Attorney General’s Office Criminals Investigation Division.

Vidales was later taken into custody at a San Antonio law enforcement academy.

Soward said Thursday he was not sure which academy Vidales was doing his training.

Vidales was booked into the Atascosa County jail and his bonds were set at $160,000 total.

He was released on bond Wednesday, and as part of his release from jail is required to wear a GPS monitoring device, avoid all contact with people under the age of 18 and he cannot go within 100 yards of any school, church or playground.

A spokeswoman for the Texas Attorney General’s Office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday about the case.


About the Author

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.

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