SAN MARCOS, Texas – Police have disciplined an officer and announced a series of policy changes after an internal investigation into arrests made during a March 14, 2026, traffic stop that later led to an ICE detainer and federal custody for a 44-year-old man.

In a May 12, 2026, press release, the City of San Marcos said San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge concluded his review of the March 14 arrests. Officer Jaciel Cortina, who had been placed on administrative leave pending the findings, received a temporary 24-hour suspension and will be required to complete mandatory retraining on de-escalation and investigative practices.

The city said the investigation substantiated three policy violations, with one related to an inaccurate statement on the probable cause affidavit, one related to a failure to articulate the basis for detention, and one related to a failure to verify the juvenile subject’s location and investigative questioning prior to making arrests.

The city said the disciplinary decision was made by the chief of police under Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code.

Chief Standridge’s review also included recommendations the department plans to implement, including:

  • Mandatory supervisory and command protocols for significant incidents; a policy governing departmental protocols for Immigration and Customs Enforcement administrative warrants and detainers
  • Amendments to existing policies to require articulation of the basis for detention and arrests and clarify requirements for report accuracy
  • Requirements for use of a standard translation application; creation of a public-facing dashboard for use of force, de-escalation and Dignity in Policing metrics
  • Establishment of a formal San Marcos Police Department Leadership Academy.

The City of San Marcos acknowledges the concerns expressed by the family and members of the public related to this case and expects officers to act to the highest professional standards at all times,” the city said.

The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, or CLEAT, responded by saying Officer Cortina accepted a 24-hour suspension for minor policy violations that were not part of the original accusations.

CLEAT said it still stands by his actions and believes the bigger claims against him did not hold up. The organization also said the case could lead to policy changes aimed at protecting officers from what it described as political pressure, and that it will continue supporting its members in similar situations.

The discipline follows public scrutiny of a March 14 stop detailed in arrest affidavits.

RELATED | Arrest affidavits detail San Marcos traffic stop leading to man’s arrest, ICE detainment

According to the affidavits, an officer responded at approximately 3:55 a.m. to 1800 Post Rd., where a caller reported her 15-year-old daughter was attempting to leave the apartment and get into a red truck. On the way, the officer spotted a red truck, confirmed the license plate matched the caller’s report and initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Aquarena Springs Drive and Charles Austin Drive.

The driver was identified in the affidavit as Esteban Victor Reyes, 17, and the affidavit states he refused repeated commands to exit the vehicle. Video recorded by the family during the stop captured part of the exchange, including an officer telling the teen to get out of the truck “for case law,” prompting the teen to question what that meant.

His father, Gerardo Gonzalez Reyes, 44, who was seated in the passenger seat, grabbed Esteban’s right arm and physically prevented officers from removing him from the truck, the affidavit states. The affidavit also says Gerardo repeatedly told officers they would not be taking Esteban out of the vehicle. Video recorded during the stop shows Gerardo holding onto his son, but does not appear to show him telling officers they would not be taking Esteban out of the truck. In the recording, he can be heard asking why his son was being treated that way and saying he is a minor.

“I approached the driver’s side door and again ordered Esteban to exit the vehicle,” the officer wrote in the affidavit. “He continued to refuse lawful commands. I then reached into the vehicle and physically removed Esteban, consistent with the authority established in Pennsylvania v. Mimms, which permits officers to order a driver out of a lawfully stopped vehicle.”

“He’s my son. Why are you treating him that way? What did he do to you?” Gerardo can be heard saying in the recording. “He is a minor. He is only 17.”

Both Esteban and his father were arrested on charges of interference with public duties and transported to the Hays County Law Enforcement Center.

Authorities later determined the 15-year-old girl had never left her residence. The family has said the teen is Esteban’s girlfriend and that he had gone to the apartment to drop off items, but she never came outside.

Family members said the arrest has had a significant impact and should not have escalated. “It’s tearing us apart day by day,” said his wife, San Juan Escalante. Gerardo’s daughter, Guadalupe Sarinana, criticized how the situation unfolded: “If you’re asking where your kid is, look, actually look into your house before having somebody’s life turned upside down.”

After the pair was booked into jail, the arresting officer learned Gerardo Gonzalez Reyes was subject to an existing immigration detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. San Marcos police said the officer was not aware of the detainer while on scene. “The department had no role in or knowledge of the immigration enforcement involving ICE, as this occurred post-booking into the Hays County Jail,” the police department said in a statement.

Gonzalez Reyes remains in federal custody pending removal proceedings, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which cited prior DWI convictions in 2004 and 2005.

The case has drawn protests and scrutiny of local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In a letter dated April 2 to ICE Field Office Director Miguel Vergara, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra wrote he was “extremely troubled” by the circumstances. Becerra wrote that Gonzalez Reyes has been a San Antonio resident for several decades, is the primary financial provider for his family and that his wife is disabled, and noted that his three children are U.S. citizens.

“As an immigrant myself, I write to ask that you compassionately exercise discretion in this circumstance, as ICE has rightly done on numerous occasions, by reunifying this hurting family,” Becerra wrote.

Becerra also said he contacted Chief Standridge and the Hays County Commissioners Court, urging them to communicate concerns to ICE and support the family’s reunification.