EPPD Officer accused of sexual assault previously punished for texting woman

A four-year veteran with the El Paso Police Department arrested on a sexual assault charge had previously been disciplined for texting a woman while on the job, police records obtained by ABC-7 state.

Earlier this month, Brian Michael Lujan was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting three victims and visually recording them while on-duty, police said.

In February 2015, Lujan was given a seven-hour suspension for obtaining a woman’s personal information and texting her while on duty, according to documents from the Internal Affairs Department.

Lujan allegedly obtained the woman’s information while handling a call for service on Aug. 31, 2014. An investigation into the incident began about a month later.

On February 24, 2015, documents state Lujan settled and agreed to a seven-hour suspension for “Violation of Rule #6 (Inattn to Duty) and Viol of Rule #9.” The suspension is one of two recorded on Lujan’s history card.

Lujan had previously been reprimanded in 2014 while serving with the EPPD, this time for a violation of safety practices.

According to the Internal Affairs documents, Lujan was given a written reprimand for crashing his police unit into a light pole.

Documents state this happened Nov. 27, 2013. Lujan was in his unit when he looked away from the roadway and veered his unit from the road, crashing into the light pole in the center median on the 11300 block of Montwood in East El Paso, damaging city property.

Documents state Lujan’s failure to keep a proper lookout and maintain control were the causes of the preventable crash.

On February 27, 2014, Lujan was given a written reprimand for “Viol of Safety Practices – Preventable Accident (Marked).”

Lujan is currently on administrative leave as the investigation continues into the alleged sexual assault incidents. Jail records show he remained jailed Monday under bonds totaling $325,000.

Police are asking anybody with information regarding these cases to call the El Paso Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division at (915) 212-0157.

JUAN GARDEA

ABC-7 also looked into any past violations by the El Paso Police Detective accused of sexual assaulting a teenager.

Earlier this month, detectives with the police department’s Crimes Against Children Unit arrested 46-year-old Juan Carlos Gardea, a 19-year veteran, and charged him with Sexual Assault of a Child.

Police said the victim reported she had been sexually assaulted by Gardea, a relative, February 4, 2017.

Past violations show Gardea was reprimanded on May 27, 1998. According to police records, he was given a written reprimand for “Dereliction of Duty – Care of Prisoner; Failure to Notify.”

A second violation shows that on December 29-31, 1999, Gardea was ordered to undergo counseling for “Violation of Rules – Rule #9 (conduct discrediting).”

El Paso Police officials told ABC-7 Gardea’s mug shot will not be released at this time because it could compromise on-going investigations.

Jail records show Gardea bonded out February 13, 2017.