San Antonio police officer arrested on assault charges against spouse

Assault of a spouse is the charge a San Antonio Police Department officer is facing after an arrest by Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies Tuesday morning, November 14, marking the latest San Antonio Police Department officer to be booked on criminal charges this year. Mark Andrew Sanchez Jr. is facing charges stemming from a report made November 11 by someone Sanchez lives with or is married to, according to a statement from the San Antonio Police Department.

Sanchez was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily injury to a spouse or cohabitant Tuesday morning while off duty, according to the SAPD statement. Sanchez has been with the local law enforcement agency for five years.

“He will be immediately suspended without pay,” the statement reads. “The San Antonio Police Department is conducting an administrative investigation into this incident. Please contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office for any question regarding the criminal investigation.”

This marks at least the sixth SAPD officer to be arrested on criminal charges in 2023, some of which were for alleged crimes committed while on duty.

Three officers were charged with murder for the fatal shooting of Melissa Perez on June 23 while she was experiencing a reported mental health crisis in her home. Officers Nathaniel Villalobos, Elezar Alejandro, and Sergeant Alfred Flores “placed themselves in a situation where they used deadly force which was not reasonable given all circumstances,” said SAPD Chief Bill McManus after the shooting.

Another SAPD officer, Andres Puente, was arrested May 31 on two counts of invasive video recording after he was accused of secretly recording his ex-girlfriend and her daughter. According to initial reports, Puente’s ex-girlfriend notified law enforcement agents she found a recording device disguised as a wall-outlet extender behind a computer desk.