Walter Pacheco
Service Record
Carroll Iowa Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | August 2020 - March 26, 2021.[1] |
| Last Known Status | Resigned[2] |
Eagle Grove Iowa Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | April 2021 - August 2021[3] |
| Last Known Status | Terminated[2] |
Pacheco is also known as Walter Pacheco Belen.[4]
Incident Reports
Note: Pacheco was not a law enforcement officer during the first incident.
2018 Threats
On December 23, 2018, Pacheco harassed and sent threats to kill his ex-girlfriend and her daughter via social media.[1][3]
Response Timeline
In January 2019, a judge denied the woman's request for a protection order as she had not kept a copy of the threats.[1][3]
2021 Inappropriate Interactions
On February 23, 2021, Pacheco "may have had inappropriate interactions with a minor".[1]
On March 14, 2021, Pacheco "may have had inappropriate interactions with an acquaintance of the minor".[1]
Response Timeline
Pacheco resigned from the Carroll Police Department.[3]
2021 Policy Violations
Pacheco turned off his body-worn camera several times while he was working a crowd control assignment.[3][5]
Pacheco made an "inflammatory remark" to a witness by stating that he could shoot people rather than arresting them.[3]
Response Timeline
Pacheco was fired from the Elk Grove Police Department.[3]
Note: Pacheco was not a law enforcement officer during the remaining incidents.
2022 Harassment
From February to April 2022, Pacheco contacted a woman against her will by sending her messages, visiting her work and home, stealing her security camera, and attempting to contact her through others. In April 2020, Pacheco sent her several handwritten and electronic messages, including an explicit picture of himself. Pacheco drove a vehicle through the woman's yard.[3][6]
Pacheco admitted to punching a man in the face.[7]
Response Timeline
Pacheco was charged with harassment, stalking, criminal mischief, theft, and false imprisonment.[6]
In July 2022, Pacheco pleaded guilty to felony willful injury and misdemeanor stalking.[2]
In December 2022, Pacheco was convicted of felony willful injury and misdemeanor stalking.[2]
Pacheco was sentenced to seven years in prison and five years of probation. The prison term was suspended.[2]
2022 Burglary
In July 2022, Pacheco forced his way into a building and took the keys and cellphone of the woman from the earlier incident.[2][7]
Response Timeline
Pacheco was arrested and charged with felonies for robbery, burglary, theft, assault, and stalking.[7]
Pacheco entered a plea as part of the next incident.[2]
In September 2022, Pacheco surrendered his peace officer certification.[8]
2022 Witness Tampering
In October 2022, Pacheco contacted the woman in the earlier incident and made "threats of bodily injury and violence … with the intent to interfere with the prosecution".[8]
Response Timeline
On November 17, 2022, Pacheco was arrested and charged with felony extortion, felony stalking, and misdemeanor tampering with a witness.[7]
While in jail, Pacheco asked his mother to contact the woman.[2]
Pacheco pleaded guilty to felony burglary in the prior incident and misdemeanor tampering with a witness in this incident.[2]
On February 1, 2023, Pacheco was sentenced to an additional 12 years in prison and five years of probation. The prison term was suspended.[2]
2023 No-Contact Violation
Pacheco attempted to contact the woman in the earlier incidents at her workplace.[4]
Response Timeline
In August 2023, Pacheco was sentenced to 24 days in jail.[4]
2023 Stalking
On October 16, 2023, Pacheco approached the woman in the earlier incidents at a gym and followed her in his vehicle.[4]
Response Timeline
In October 2023, Pacheco was charged with felony stalking and held without bail. Pacheco faces up to five years in prison.[9]
Between October and December 2023, Pacheco called the victim 9 times from jail.[10]
On April 2, 2024, a judge revoked Pacheco's probation from the earlier cases, which reinstated the sentences of to up to 19 years in prison.[9]
In May 2024, Pacheco was additional charged with 9 counts of contempt of court.[10]
In June 2024, a judge ruled that Pacheco had violated the no-contact order by calling the victim from the jail. The judge added about two years to Pacheco's prison term.[11]
In July 2024, a jury found Pacheco guilty of felony stalking. Pacheco faces up to 10 more years in prison.[11]
Additional Information
Journalist Jared Strong earned a first place Harrison "Skip" Weber Investigative Reporting Award for his coverage of these incidents.[12]
LEO Ratings
Public Comments
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jared Strong, Officer resigns for contact with minor, Carroll Times Herald, 2021-06-15
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Jared Strong, Ex-cop gets probation for burglary, witness tampering, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2023-02-09
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Jared Strong, Ex-cop who pleaded guilty to stalking a woman faces numerous felonies, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2022-09-20
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Jared Strong, Former police officer faces new stalking charge and threat of prison, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2023-11-02
- ↑ Clark Kauffman, Iowa police officer fired for switching off body camera amid unruly crowd, Iowas Capital Dispatch, 2022-03-14
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jared Strong, Prosecutors to seek prison for ex-cop who wants probation, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2022-12-20
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Jared Strong, Ex-cop avoids prison, but more criminal charges loom, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2022-12-29
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jared Strong, Ex-cop accused of threatening witness against him, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2022-11-23
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jared Strong, Ex-Pleasant Hill cop sentenced to 19 years in prison for repeated stalking, Des Moines Register, 2024-04-05
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Jared Strong, Ex-cop accused of subverting jail protocol to contact victim, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2024-05-17
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Jared Strong, Convicted former cop again found guilty of stalking, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 2024-07-29
- ↑ Times Herald earns honors at Better Newspaper Contest, Carroll Times Herald, 2022-05-04
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