Texas Rep's Campaign Ad Featured Officer Fired for Harassment, Stalking
The ad highlighting accusations against Democratic opponent Bobby Pulido featured a deputy with a history of alleged misconduct, campaign officials claim ignorance.
A recent campaign advertisement by Texas Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz featured an endorsement from a deputy who was reportedly fired from his previous position for alleged sexual harassment and stalking of a co-worker. The ad, released in June, featured the man identified as “Deputy Garcia” of Goliad County, Texas, criticizing De La Cruz’s Democratic opponent, Bobby Pulido, and accusing him of being anti-police.
De La Cruz's campaign stated that they were unaware of the deputy's past misconduct at the time the ad was filmed. Public reports concerning the deputy's alleged behavior did not emerge until August, according to campaign officials.
An investigation by The Hawk's Eye, which published reports in August, indicated that the deputy, identified as Zachary Garcia, was terminated from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. The termination stemmed from accusations of harassment against a female dispatcher with whom he had a past relationship. Records suggest Garcia monitored the dispatcher's location via cellphone, drove past her home while on duty, and made repeated calls until she disconnected her phone. Following the end of their relationship, Garcia allegedly made approximately 20 calls to the dispatcher over two days, and GPS data showed a marked patrol unit parked outside her residence for over an hour on August 31, 2025, with no apparent calls for service in the area.
Garcia reportedly admitted to making the calls, including those with a blocked caller ID, and to waiting outside her home in uniform. The internal investigation also revealed accusations from a female supervisor who alleged Garcia invited her into his apartment after she assisted him with groceries and then encouraged her to stand close and smell his cologne. Garcia denied this accusation. Wilson County concluded that Garcia engaged in sexual harassment against both the dispatcher and the supervisor.
Sheriff Roy Boyd of Goliad County, where Garcia is currently employed, expressed support for the deputy. Boyd stated that Garcia has been a valued member of the Goliad County Sheriff’s Office since 2018 and is well-respected by staff and residents. Boyd criticized partisan activists for smearing Garcia and asserted his First Amendment rights.
De La Cruz is engaged in a closely contested reelection campaign against Pulido, a race characterized as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report. The De La Cruz campaign has sought to highlight Pulido's past social media posts, including one where he described some police officers as "abusive assholes." The campaign also pointed to Pulido's past association with his former bandmate, Frankie Caballero, who was convicted in 2014 of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl. Pulido reportedly toured with Caballero after his prison sentence.
Pulido's campaign has disputed these characterizations, stating that Pulido was unaware of Caballero's sex offender registration and would not knowingly associate with someone with such a history. The campaign expressed sympathy for victims.
De La Cruz's campaign has also faced criticism regarding a separate ad from Pulido that mentioned her ex-husband, Juan Gabriel Hernandez. Hernandez pleaded guilty to assault of a peace officer or judge and impeding breath or circulation, receiving five years of community supervision. Pulido's ad cited Hernandez's accusations against De La Cruz and claimed she had a temporary restraining order filed against her for child abuse during a contentious divorce. The temporary order was dissolved, and the court did not substantiate the claims.