HOUSTON A former HPD employee has been sentenced to four years in prison for a bribery scheme that alerted illegal game-room owners to undercover police investigations, the Harris County District Attorney s Office announced Tuesday.
Edward Mason, 43, was charged after a tip prompted HPD to conduct a series of sting operations.
Investigators said on three separate occasions, Mason met with undercover cops to provide confidential information in exchange for hundreds of dollars in bribe money.
The defendant provided confidential information about undercover vice officers to people engaging in illegal activities. This information could have endangered the lives of those officers, Assistant District Attorney Maritza Antu said.
District Attorney Pat Lykos, a former police officer and judge, has tasked her Public Integrity Division with uncovering and investigating allegations of criminal activity by public servants.
Mr. Mason worked in HPD s property room and was trusted with handling evidence from criminal cases. He not only abused that trust-he shattered it-by informing criminals of upcoming raids and police deployments, Lykos said.
