Former city of Austin forensics employee arrested, faces charges of fraud, property theft
A former city of Austin employee who was previously accused by the city auditor's office of fraud and theft now faces criminal charges.
Efrain Perez — a forensics science manager who was accused of using a city-issued credit card to buy about $3,000 in gift cards and firearm accessories — is facing two charges, property theft and tampering with government records, according to court records filed Jan. 10.
The Austin Police Department confirmed Friday that Perez had been arrested.
The probable cause arrest affidavit states that Perez used his city-issued credit card to make about $3,000 in personal purchases, including Amazon gift cards and AR-15 firearm accessories, and altered the receipts.
Perez, who managed daily operations and made and approved staff purchases for the Forensic Science Department, was hired by the city in 2013, according to employment records obtained by the American-Statesman. His 2023 fiscal year salary was listed as about $121,000.
Perez resigned in May, according to the audit published in late 2023. He could not be immediately reached for comment.
Findings of the audit and affidavits
The affidavit states that in February, a financial manager for the city's Financial Services Department alerted the auditor's office "that his office had documentation to indicate an employee had misused the City's ProCard (credit card) for personal expenses."
The city auditor's office in late 2023 published an audit accusing Perez of purchasing 15 Visa gift cards worth about $1,500 total and spending $1,550 on firearm accessories. Before his resignation, Perez denied the purchase of gift cards in an interview with the auditor's department.
The affidavit cites the findings from the city auditor's investigation and shows the detective on the case requested supporting documentation.
After further review, the detective stated in the affidavit, "there were 14 instances where Perez provided altered and/or modified receipts to the City as supporting information or his purchases. (In one instance, Perez provided no back-up receipt at all for the purchase.)"
Perez also altered or modified receipts including changing the shipping address, changing the item description and changing discounts Perez took that were intended for military or law enforcement officers only, according to the affidavit.
Perez claimed he purchased the firearm accessories for the Forensic Science Department in the city's financial system, but that was disputed by a supervisor who stated the items purchased would not have been used by the department, according to the audit.
"The supervisor added that these products would be used by the Austin Police Department," the audit states. "Perez did not have any purchasing responsibilities for APD."
Attached to the audit is a memo from Dr. Dana Kadavy, director of the Forensic Science Department, stating that the Forensic Science Department and Police Department financial services reviewed the audit and did not dispute any of its findings.
In a December statement, Kadavy said she was "reassured that we have the correct policies and procedures in place that led to the misuse being detected."
When asked for a comment on the developments in the case, Michele Gonzalez, strategic communications and external relations officer for the city, said, “The City is not in a position to comment on an ongoing criminal matter.”
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Former city of Austin forensics employee faces criminal charges
