Texas Police Officer Willy Lopez’s arrest on a prostitution charge last week. Additionally the search warrant details an allegation that Lopez had previously recorded a woman cops know to be a prostitute having sex with him.
Lopez, 35, was arrested on Jan. 15 on a Class B misdemeanor charge of prostitution. A member of the Waco Police Department Street Crimes Unit, Lopez was expected to stop prostitution, but instead he used it to his advantage.
The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office conducted an online prostitution buy bust operation on backpage.com. Of all people, Lopez took the bait and arranged to meet the undercover cop for paid sex at a low ball price of $60 on Jan. 12, but Lopez spooked out and cancelled that arrangement.
But the warrant states that Lopez continued verbal interactions with the undercover cop for the next few days eventually scheduling a casual meeting at a restaurant on Jan. 15 near the Baylor University campus. At the restaurant, sheriff’s deputies moved in to make the arrest. Deputies obtained a search warrant for Lopez’s phone and discovered a video of him having sex with a known prostitute, according to the warrant.
The warrant states:
> “Upon making contact, Lopez’s cellphone was sitting in his lap, with the screen open. His phone was removed from his lap and secured as he was being detained. There was an open text app called ‘Burner’ that did have [open communication with the undercover cop] active. Upon searching the phone, video of a female, known to me to be a prostitute, enters the room and begins to talk to Lopez about the room. The two individuals then begin to have sexual intercourse on camera.”
Now that Lopez has been burned himself, he is now on administrative leave.
The Waco Police Department released this statement:
> “The department has protocols in place. We take our responsibility seriously and will take appropriate action as necessary. The criminal justice system is in action and will take it’s course”
Lopez has since been released from the McLennan County Jail after posting a $1,000 bond. If convicted he can be jailed up to 180 days. Lopez has been with the Waco Police Department for 5 years.
