2 Dallas County Deputies Arrested For Looting Damaged Home Depot In Aftermath Of Tornado
UPDATE: Pair Of Dallas County Deputies Arrested For Theft At Home Depot Implicate Each Other
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A second Dallas County Sheriff's Deputy was arrested on Thursday for allegedly looting during the aftermath of the October 20 tornadoes in the Dallas area.
Sergeant Rebecca Evans, 41, was Joseph Bobadilla's supervisor and allegedly assisted him in removing items from the tornado-damaged Home Depot on Forest Lane.
She was charged with theft of property and booked into the Dallas County Jail around 3:00 p.m..
She later posted a $500 bond and was released.
Sergeant Evans has been employed by the Dallas County Sheriff's Office for 16 years.
She was promoted to Deputy in 2007 after having worked in the jail as a Detention Service Officer.
This Home Depot on Forest Lane hired off duty deputies to protect this store's merchandise because of the extensive damage caused by last month's tornado.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Department said two of those working there used it as an opportunity to steal.
He's been with the department since 2016.
On Thursday morning his fellow deputies raided Bobadilla's Garland home where they removed a washer, dryer and a microwave.
The sheriff's department says the appliances were purchased with store credit.
That store credit was issued for items he's accused of stealing from the Home Depot on Forest Lane which he was hired to watch over while it's rebuilt after being hit by last months tornado.
"The department core values and what are core values are in our department are integrity, professionalism and accountability so it definitely is a slap in the face on those core values," said Raul Reyna, a spokesperson for the Dallas County Sheriff's Department.
According to an arrest warrant, Bobadilla took "new and unopened merchandise containing moisture" to Home Depot locations in South Dallas and Balch Springs, returning them for more than $1,900 in store credit.
Bobadillo is accused of using that credit to buy the new appliances.
The Sheriff's Department said Sgt. Evans received cash from Bobadillo in exchange for items she stole from the store.
During her arraignment, she openly sobbed telling the magistrate, "I've never even had a traffic ticket.
Sheriff's records mention a third person, a woman who tried returning some of the stolen items at a Home Depot.
She is identified as a current or former Dallas County employee.
She has not been charged.
J.D. Miles and Andrea Lucia contributed to this report.
