ATHENS, Texas — The trial for former Coffee City Police Chief John Jay Portillo, who is accused of tampering with government records, has been reset to January 2025.
Portillo is charged with six counts of tampering with government records for allegedly lying repeatedly on his Coffee City job application by failing to disclose a driving under the influence charge out of Florida and discipline he received at two previous police agencies in Harris County.
Following a Monday hearing, Portillo's defense attorney Justin Weiner said there will be a jury trial announcement on Jan. 13 and the trial will be held Jan. 14 if both sides are ready for trial.
In September 2023, the Coffee City Council fired Portillo and disbanded the entire department. Indictments against former officers came after the disbandment.
A KHOU 11 Investigation last year that preceded the council's decision exposed questionable practices within the force. This includes increasing the police force to 50 officers for a town of barely 250 people with over half of those cops being previously suspended, demoted, terminated, or dishonorably discharged from their past law enforcement jobs.
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