El Paso Cop Who Allegedly Stole From Newlweds Indicted

Alberto Madrid, the El Paso Police officer who allegedly stole money and gift cards from a wedding couple at a reception in October, has been indicted on an aggravated robbery charge, according to court documents.

Madrid resigned in November lieu of termination. El Paso Police were in the process of firing Madrid.

According to the indictment, while Madrid allegedly committed the theft he “intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly cause bodily injury to Jose (“Joey”) Zaragoza on or about the body with a motor vehicle, and the the Defendant (Madrid) did then and there use and exhibit a deadly weapon, to-wit: a motor vehicle, that in the manner of its use and intended use was capable of causing death and serious bodily injury.”

Madrid, an 18-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department, had earned $66,329 a year according to public records and was a sergeant who was assigned to the West Side Regional Command Center before he resigned.

The El Paso Police Department said Madrid was working as an off-duty security officer for the reception at Bebe’s Hall when the incident allegedly occurred in early October.

According to a police affidavit, Madrid was seen leaving the hall with the gift box and he returned empty-handed. He then drove to a parking lot across the event hall. Several relatives of the wedding party followed Madrid to ask him about the missing money.

One of the witnesses,Zaragoza, along with several family members attempted to talk to Madrid but he refused to talk to them, according to the affidavit.

Zaragoza told ABC-7 days after the incident that Madrid then accelerated his truck toward him and his brother.

“I pushed my brother out of the way and I didn’t have time to get out of the way so I jumped up and got on top of the truck,” Zaragoza said.

Another witness, who did not want to be identified, told ABC-7 Madrid drove away from the parking lot onto Vista del Sol. He said Zaragoza was holding on to the top of Madrid’s truck for about a mile and a half at a high speed.

That witness told ABC-7 Zaragoza was “dangling left and right, trying to hold on”.

Zaragoza was finally thrown off the the truck’s hood at the intersection of Vista de Oro. He was taken to an area hospital for his injuries and is now recovering from a concussion.

Viviana Macias, owner of Bebe’s Hall, told ABC-7 Madrid worked with the hall for at least eight years. She said he has always been professional and there were never any complaints against him.

Detective Mike Baranyay, an El Paso Police spokesman, told ABC-7 in October that they charged Madrid with aggravated robbery because that is a first degree felony.

Some viewers wondered why Madrid was not charged with attempted murder in light of the accusations against him. Det. Baranyay said aggravated robbery is actually a more severe charge. Attempted murder is a second degree felony and more difficult to prove in court.

“Even if we were able to prove that his intent was to do such a thing, the higher charge would still remain the aggravated robbery which would hold the higher penalty, and possibly more jail time,” said Det. Baranyay.

Madrid has avoided jail time on three other occasions throughout his career. According to county records, in 2002 Madrid was charged with misdemeanor assault. That charge was dismissed for lack of evidence.

Madrid has also been charged with two DWI’s: one in 2002 and another in 2006. He cleared one of the DWI’s by attending a pretrial program.

Det. Baranyay stressed the allegations against Madrid are an isolated incident and people should not judge the entire department for one individual’s actions. Zaragoza agreed.

“I still admire and respect everything police officers do” Zaragoza told ABC-7. “(Madrid) disrespected the uniform he wore.”