Former Harris County Pct. 4 Deputy Bobby Joe Espinosa charged with stealing from Vietnamese businesses, charged with 3 counts

HOUSTON, TX (KTRK) — Authorities are asking more victims to come forward after a former Harris County Precinct 4 deputy was charged with theft.

Bobby Joe Espinosa, 39, was charged Monday on two counts of bribery and a theft by an officer of more than $2,500 and less than $30,000.

He is said to have worn his service uniform during the crime, according to investigators.

The bribery allegations are second-degree crimes, punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge of theft is a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Former Harris Co. Pct. 4 Deputy Constable accused of robbing Vietnamese businesses in uniform

Espinosa is accused of threatening employees of Vietnamese companies in the FM-1960 and Veterans Memorial area between September 2021 and March 2022 to give him money.

According to the Harris County Attorney’s Office, Espinosa took $5,700 from registers and tip jars at four different stores and even broke into slot machines for cash.

Investigators said he would be wearing his pct. 4 uniform during the robberies and separate surveillance cameras.

The stores were often owned and operated by immigrants who were frightened because Espinosa was a law enforcement officer, the prosecutor’s office said.

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“He used a badge to achieve coercion, intimidation and theft, and we believe there are more victims who need to come forward,” District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “The community needs to know that everyone is responsible under the law for wearing a uniform or not.”

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Espinosa is encouraged to call the DA’s office at 713-274-5910.

Espinosa is also accused of demanding payments from at least two companies between November 2021 and April 2022 in return for not opening an investigation.

Back in April of this year, Espinosa was charged with theft and fired from his role at Pct. 4.

RELATED: Bobby Espinosa’s crime story

While investigating Espinosa’s criminal history, ABC13 found six mug shots for previous arrests by DPS, recorded from 2007 and 2015. The prosecutor’s office said one of those mugshots was from a 2003 arrest in Harris County for driving with a suspended driver’s license.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office said he was arrested four other times in Harris County between 2001 and 2008 for multiple driving violations, such as: B. Failure to pay for parking tickets or no-show.

As for the remaining five arrests recorded by DPS between 2007 and 2015, there is no record of those charges or where they took place.

ABC13 asked Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman discussed Espinosa’s previous arrests over the phone in April, but said he was out of town and could not provide details. However, he said Espinosa was cleared and met the minimum requirements to be hired at Pct. 4 in 2015.