Houston firefighter accused of soliciting a minor, put on paid leave amid investigation

The Houston Fire Department put a 31-year-old firefighter on paid leave after he was arrested Thursday, accused of soliciting a minor.

Ethen Garcia, a firefighter in the agency’s emergency operations team, is charged with online solicitation of a minor and solicitation of prostitution. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

In a statement, HFD Chief Thomas Muñoz said an internal investigation, and another by the Houston Police Department, into Garcia’s alleged actions is ongoing.

Charging documents that would provide more details have not been made available.

“HFD takes these disturbing allegations very seriously, and this kind of behavior does not reflect the 4,000 men and women of this Department,” Muñoz said in a statement. “If proven to be true, a person who commits these acts has no place in the Houston Fire Department.”

This article originally published at Houston firefighter accused of soliciting a minor, put on paid leave amid investigation.

Houston firefighter accused of soliciting a minor, put on paid leave amid investigation

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