WACO, Texas (FOX 44) – A former Waco Police officer arrested three times on charges of sexual misconduct since 2018 has been indicted on a charge of solicitation of prostitution.

40-year-old Willy Rafael Lopez was indicted Thursday on the State Jail Felony charge. This is punishable by up to two years in a state jail.

Lopez’s first arrest came in January 2018. McLennan County Jail records showed he was arrested on a prostitution charge – with his bond set at $1,000. 

The Waco Police Department said in a January 2018 statement, “Earlier this afternoon there was an incident involving an off-duty Waco Police Officer. It is our understanding that the officer was arrested by an outside agency. We are aware of the incident. It is not our case so we cannot comment on its specifics. By policy, the City of Waco does not comment on personnel matters. The criminal justice system is in action and will take it’s course.”

Lopez was immediately placed on Administrative Leave for his arrest, and was arrested again in February 2018 by McLennan County Sheriff’s Investigators. Evidence recovered in the Sheriff’s Office investigation led deputies to obtain an additional arrest warrant for Invasive Visual Recording, which is a State Jail Felony. Lopez remained on Administrative Leave pending Waco PD’s internal investigation.

It was announced in April 2018 that after a thorough internal investigation by Waco PD’s Professional Standards and Conduct Unit, Lopez did violate departmental policy. He was indefinitely suspended from his position as a Waco Police officer by Chief Ryan Holt.