June 6, 2025
By: Pat Trevino
What began as another late night of work quickly escalated into a tense and unsettling confrontation with law enforcement. As I sat at my desk, immersed in work for Cuero Online News, the sound of my front door jiggling caught my attention. Turning slightly, I saw my grandson’s friend, who had spent the night after their baseball game, trying to open the door.
I snapped at him—after all, it was nearly 2:00 AM, and the idea of anyone leaving the house at that hour was alarming. Prepared to reprimand him for trying to sneak out, I demanded to know what he was doing. But then he said something that stopped me cold: “I’m going outside to talk to the police officer.”
My focus sharpened instantly. Blocking him from opening the door further, I quickly assessed the situation. My office is just a few steps away from the entrance, meaning I am always aware of who comes and goes. The young boy had already cracked the door open, and instinctively, my mind raced—what if someone was posing as an officer, trying to lure him outside?
Then, I looked beyond him and saw the reality unfolding outside—four or maybe five police cars lined the street, their flashing lights illuminating my house. Two officers stood in my yard, one shining a flashlight directly into my face, despite my porch light being on. When I asked him to lower it, Officer Kuecker coldly informed me that the officer didn’t have to comply, refusing to adjust the blinding beam. The confrontation had begun.
The officers stated they were searching for a suspect involved in a burglary at a nearby store, and that my grandson’s friend matched the description. I was stunned—these boys had been at a baseball game until late that evening, and I had been awake the entire time, working in my office. The 14-year-old guest had been upstairs on the balcony, talking on the phone, and there are no stairs from the balcony leading outside. If anyone had entered or exited my home, I would have known instantly.
Then, my son-in-law arrived, unaware of the chaos unfolding. Officers had already questioned him about who was inside, and he confirmed it was just the two boys who had played in the game until 10 PM. However, because I had previously said 9 or 9:30, they accused us of lying. Determined to clarify, my son-in-law offered to call the coach to verify the exact time.
That was when a brief exchange took place between Officer Hernandez and my son-in-law—a tense yet measured discussion, free of raised voices or hostility, simply an attempt to clarify the situation. Then, without warning, another officer abruptly lifted his flashlight, aimed it directly at my son-in-law, and issued a stark accusation: “Are you threatening him?” demanded Officer Cantu, his voice cutting through the moment, his intent unmistakable.
Recognition hit me instantly—the same Officer Cantu who had failed to investigate a drunk driver who crashed into a telephone pole on my property a year or two earlier. That incident nearly cost my daughter and son-in-law their lives, and despite undeniable evidence—including footage from my neighbor’s security camera—Cantu had done nothing. The crash ripped all electrical wiring from my home, forcing me to pay over $2,000 in emergency repairs, because the city insisted the damage was on my property.
And now, once again, law enforcement was failing me—choosing intimidation over investigation.
They had surrounded my home with four or five patrol cars, treating my family like suspects. And why? Because all they had was a vague description—“a brown kid.”
Then came the final blow. “If it turns out they are involved, we will charge every adult here with interfering in an investigation—a felony,” Officer Cantu threatened.
The intimidation was undeniable. But I refused to yield.
As a homeowner, as a guardian of those boys, as someone who knew the truth—I stood my ground. I refused to let officers question a minor without parental consent, especially when the accusations had no foundation.
This encounter exposes deeper concerns—police conduct, racial profiling, and the abuse of authority within small communities. If officers can so easily threaten and intimidate innocent citizens instead of conducting thorough investigations, then who, exactly, are they protecting?
In Cuero, and in communities everywhere, we must ask—when does law enforcement cross the line from serving and protecting to intimidating and controlling?
Appreciate you speaking on this. A lot of people would’ve looked the other way, but this kind of stuff needs to be called out. What happened to that kid was wrong, plain and simple. Keep doing what you’re doing—your voice matters.
Officer Cantu is a no-good law officer who has went out and beyond the law along with other officers. He falsely pulled over my brother over paper tags being put in the back window when the Dewitt County tax office said if the back window was dark tinted to display the tags in back where the license plate goes. Then he arrested my brother on over-the-counter Tylenol. Looking up the law in Texas, it’s perfectly legal to have over the counter Tylenol out of the bottle. It’s the whole damn poor working class citizens of Cuero who are being harassed and arrested under false pretenses. You don’t see not one damn rich or middle class locked up. Why? Cause the crooked laws are being paid under the table along with the justice system. They get paid by the day on us to be put in jail.
People used to be able to walk down the street without being harassed by the law. They used to wave and check up on people. They didn’t go out looking for trouble. They arrested those who were corrupt and couldn’t be a part of the community. The justice system has failed the poor and lower-class people. Alot are locked up falsely for stops and arrest.
Civil rights justice division is who you call or even email. They do have a website you can go to. These officers have violated your civil rights. They need to be turned in and investigated on every single arrest that has been made by these officers.
Yea my family and I have had bad experiences with officer cantu as well here in cuero…he should not be an officer
It’s just a shame that citizens are being treated this way! Something has to change. They say it starts at the top and dribbles down. Look at the top to make changes! Vote, vote, vote!
I had to report officer Cantu and officer Hernandez to the Texas Rangers for harassment. I completely agree Cantu should NOT be an officer.
Officer Cantu is not only a crooked cop he is a horrible human being. A few years ago, during Turkey Fest, I fell on hard times and could not find a job and I was forced to take a job with the carnival. I’m a high school graduate with some college, board certified in cosmetology, and a license professional (I am not saying in what because then people will know who I am, and I would rather remain anonymous) But believe me when I say a person has to be hitting hard times when you take a job at a carnival. But I have children and had bills to pay. I arrived early to work and worked for three days. They were long hours in the hot sun, standing up the entire time. I put in a few hours Sunday and I was waiting around to get paid.
The carnival manager came around and paid me and I told him that he had shorted me almost an entire half day. I started getting loud with the guy and demanded my money. He was refusing to pay me. And yes, I did create a scene, and people were looking but I needed my money otherwise my car was getting repossessed. That’s when he said he was going to call the police. I am thinking good. Let’s call the police because I am thinking I am in the right. I am from Cuero.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. I didn’t even get a word in Officer Cantu right away refused to even listen to my side of the story and told me to leave otherwise he was going to arrest me. At this point I was crying I was so frustrated and angry. I yelled and told him to look at my hours and also told him I had pictures that the carnival equipment hadn’t been inspected in years thinking this would get the Carnival guy in trouble. I know I was grabbing at straws.
Officer Cantu threatened to arrest me if I didn’t leave right then and there. The Carnival manager had this huge smirk on his face and Officer Cantu turned to him and shook his hand. I knew then that there was nothing going to be done, and I walked away cry.
P.S. This next Turkeyfest the City needs to make sure that the equipment is inspected.
The corruption from those in the City office to those who make up the city departments is disgusting. It’s going to take a lawsuit to make change happen, similar things have happened to quite a few different people rather recently.
Officer Hernandez, the same individual who called me from Cuero to Austin—outside of his jurisdiction—did so to harass me because his friend’s son couldn’t handle being called out for failing his responsibilities as a father. I had to escalate the issue to his superior to stop the harassment. Officer Hernandez has a pattern of using intimidation tactics, which is a disgrace to the community he is sworn to serve and protect. Both Hernandez and Officer Cantu should be ashamed of their conduct.