Travis County District Attorney’s Office Announces Indictment Against Del Valle ISD Police Officer Ferniz

Travis County, TX — On August 6, 2026, a Travis County grand jury of the 460th Judicial District Court returned an indictment charging Del Valle ISD Police Officer Ernest Ferniz with six counts of the offense of Tampering with a Government Record with Intent to Harm or Defraud, a state jail felony.

The indictment alleges that in August 2023, Officer Ferniz tampered with a governmental record by making material misrepresentations in documents he submitted to the school district as part of his employment application process.

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) referred the case to our office in July 2026.

The Travis County District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity and Complex Cases Unit is prosecuting the case against Officer Gonzales in the 147th Judicial District Court for Travis County.

“We thank our partners at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for our ongoing collaboration on this case,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “Holding law enforcement accountable when they break the law is critical to maintaining community trust and ensuring our community’s safety.”

This indictment follows the previous indictment of former Del Valle ISD Police Officer Ruben Gonzales, who was indicted on June 2, 2026, on six counts of the offense of Tampering with a Government Record with Intent to Harm or Defraud.

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