Former Lufkin police officer Zachary Anthony Klein, 33, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Angelina County to 100 counts of misuse of official information tied to his use of Flock license plate reader cameras and was sentenced to five years in prison. Judge Todd Kassaw accepted the plea, with credit for 42 days already served.
Angelina County District Attorney Amy Wren said the plea deal also drops potential stalking charges tied to the same investigation. A county grand jury indicted Klein on Aug. 21 after his arrest by the Texas Rangers.
According to Wren, the case opened last August after USA Today asked Lufkin police about an officer’s use of Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras. Lufkin PD ran an internal audit using new Flock audit tools, flagged two officers, and referred the case to the Texas Rangers. The Rangers cleared the second officer and documented what Wren described as extensive, systemic abuse of the camera system by Klein.
The plea closes an East Texas case that has been watched nationally as a test of how police can be held accountable for misusing surveillance cameras. Bond had been reduced earlier this week ahead of the plea.
Sources:
KTRE: Former Lufkin officer pleads to 5 years for 100 counts related to Flock camera misuse