Is Nueces County Deputy Constable Ben Zapata, Jr. a Wife Beater? Authorities Say Yes

Robstown, Texas

A Nueces County deputy constable had the opportunity to be a guest at the jail on Monday, after his arrest on retaliation charges is out on bond. Robstown Police say he assaulted his common-law wife on Saturday.

The deputy constable has been identified as 54-year-old Ben Zapata, Jr. He was arrested Monday at his home in the 500 block of Iowa.

According to the arrest affidavit, a warrant was issued after Zapata’s common-law wife Oralia Cuellar said he punched her in the mouth and dragged her by her hair on Saturday. The woman, according to investigators, confronted him about coming home from work in a bad mood on Saturday.

Zapata is facing retaliation charges because he was allegedly harassing her as she filed assault charges against him. According to court documents, while Cuellar was at the Robstown Police Department, Zapata called her 56 times in the hour that she was talking to detectives.

Cuellar sent him a text message telling him that was enough and that he was harassing her. And this isn’t the first incident of abuse, according to court documents. According to the affidavit, Cuellar says Zapata threatened her and says “I might as well kill you now and get it over with” she says that’s when he walked out of the home and acted as though he had a gun in his hand. Lt. Gilbert Gomez of Robstown P.D. says punishment or termination with the Precinct 5 Constables will be assessed by that department.

LT. Gomez said Cuellar was pretty “banged-up.” Detectives also witnessed the dozens of phone calls that came from “Ben” while they were taking the woman’s statement.

Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg Found the Vodka: Arrested on Drunk-Driving Charge

Austin, Texas

The Travis County District Attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg, has a better understanding of life on the other side of the law. That is because, according to police, she spent some time in the slammer on Saturday morning, after being arrested on a drunk-driving charge.

It was a 911 call by a motorist that alerted authorities to search for a vehicle weaving and crossing into oncoming traffic.

After her arrest, Lehmberg was released on $3,000 bond.

An arrest affidavit wasn’t clear on whether or not Lehmberg was subjected to a breath test. She told deputies that she consumed two vodka drinks earlier in the evening.

The affidavit did, however, indicated that Lehmberg's speech was slurred and mumbled and her walking was "staggering and unsure."

Easter Bunny Stopped By California Highway Patrol for Failure To Wear Helmet

The Easter Bunny was stopped by the California Highway Patrol Saturday morning after he was spotted driving without a helmet.

According to police, an officer was patrolling highway 8 when he observed a giant rabbit on a motorcycle traveling the highway near San Diego. The officer initiated a stop after noting that the rabbit wasn't wearing a helmet. The dispatch call actually said,“I’m stopping the Easter Bunny.”

The man inside the costume told the officer that he was headed for a charity event. The officer did not cite the rabbit, but issued a warning for failing to wear a helmet. The officer also noted that the costume posed a visual impairment.

The department stated that they had pulled over several motorist dressed in Santa suits before, but couldn't remember a time they had nabbed an Easter Bunny traveling on a motor cycle.

Huntsville Police Officer Christopher Myers Arrested for Physically Assaulting Man in Handcuffs

Huntsville, Texas

A Huntsville police officer was arrested Thursday by the Texas Rangers after being indicted by a Walker County grand jury Wednesday.

29-year-old Christopher Lee Myers of Willis was jailed in Montgomery County Thursday morning around 11 a.m. and charged with Official Oppression for allegedly mistreating a person who was in his custody.

Court documents indicate Myers physically assaulted Eldon Jacob Fuller while he was in handcuffs on August 10, 2012.

Myers had been an officer for a little more than four years, serving most of it with the Huntsville Police Department. His last day on the job with Huntsville Police is listed as March 8. Myers' TCLEOSE service record shows no previous disciplinary actions.

If convicted, Myers faces up to a year in prison and up to a $4,000 fine. After posting a $1,000 bond, he was release from jail.

Grapevine Police Officer and Pedophile Philip Woolery Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges

Pedophile Philip Woolery - Grapevine Police Officer

Fort Worth, Texas

A Grapevine police officer confirmed that he is indeed a pedophile, by pleading guilty in federal court to one count of production and one count of possession of child pornography, authorities said.

46-year-old Philip Woolery, who entered the guilty plea on Wednesday, faces between 15 and 40 years in federal prison, a $500,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is set for Sept. 17 in U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means’ court.

A single father of a child, Woolery was a 17-year veteran of the Grapevine Police Department at the time of his arrest. He was fired on Nov. 11, according to Grapevine police, which had no further comment.

Child Protective Services took custody of Woolery’s child shortly after his arrest with the hopes of placing the child with relatives.

Woolery has been in custody since being arrested by investigators with the Postal Inspection Service in October 2012 at his home in Crowley.

Woolery admitted that he had used his digital camera to record a minor male engaging in sexually explicit conduct in a swimming pool, according to a news release issued by United States Attorney Sarah R. Saldana with the Northern District of Texas.

Woolery also admitted that he possessed a laptop computer that contained a sexually explicit image of a nude minor male and that he used that computer to search for child porn websites.

The investigation began in October 2010 when inspectors received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a company was offering child pornography videos for sale over the Internet. The company’s records, which included a customer database of orders, were seized. Woolery’s home address and e-mail were connected to a Jan.1, 2010, purchase order.

Former Houston Police Officer Harold Clayton Busted Again for DWI After Crashing Into Business, Fleeing

Houston, Texas

The other day, a story made the news in Houston, involving a drunk driver who fled the scene after crashing into a lighting company in northwest Harris County Thursday night.

The driver was eventually tracked down and what a surprise, he turned out to be a former Houston police officer.

Harold Clayton Jr., a former officer with the Houston Police Department, was charged with DWI and failure to stop and give information.

Clayton, driving a Chevy Tahoe, crashed into The Lighting Gallery located in the 6200 block of FM 1960, sending bricks and glass flying everywhere. A witness who saw the crash followed Clayton to the Promenade Apartments in the 5900 block of W FM 1960 and alerted authorities.

As with many other Houston police officers who we’ve written about, Clayton has a rather interesting history. This is his third DWI charge in the last six years. He was arrested and charged with DWI in 2008, while he was still a member of the police force. That case was dismissed.

Clayton retired in 2009. He was arrested again on DWI charges early this year in February.

Houston Police Officer Dan Todd Charged With Stalking

Accused Stalker Dan Todd

Houston, Texas

A veteran Houston police officer, Dan Todd, is off the job and facing a felony charge of stalking.

A district court judge has also barred the 57-year-old accused stalker from entering two police department buildings, and the police union.

Todd must also stay away from his ex-wife, a Houston police sergeant, and his teenage daughter.

According to court documents, Todd, over a several month period in 2012 and 2013, followed, harassed, and caused fear among his family members.

"The complainant believed the defendant was acting strangely and was concerned for her safety," the probable cause affidavit reads.

"She's scared. She's got legitimate fear and from what I've learned she has reason to have that fear," said Mark Montgomery, attorney for Sgt. Marsha Hausman Todd.

Todd’s most recent assignment was Bush Intercontinental Airport, the same place where he was arrested while on duty on March 5.

Stalking is a third degree felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and a jail term of between 2 and 10 years.