A former Texas police officer is facing felony charges after investigators say he used information obtained through arrests to get the phone numbers of people taken into custody. Former Odessa Police Officer Jody Baer is accused of then contacting at least two arrestees for what his own department described only as “inappropriate reasons.”
According to a Facebook post, the Texas Rangers and Odessa Police Department arrested Baer on September 9 on charges of misuse of official information. Police say Baer had already been placed on administrative leave without pay immediately after the allegation against him was first reported.
Investigators say Baer purposefully obtained the phone numbers of at least two people using information he gained during arrests. According to Odessa police, he then messaged those individuals in an effort to “obtain a benefit,” though the department did not elaborate on the contents of the messages or precisely what benefit he was seeking.
Odessa police described Baer as a former officer in its announcement of the arrest and said his conduct violated both department procedures and Texas law. The department also acknowledged the damage accusations involving misuse of police information can cause, saying Baer’s actions “erode the trust” it works to maintain with the community.
Former Officer Faces Two Misuse of Official Information Counts
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Booking records show Baer was booked on September 9 by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Two separate entries list misuse of official information charges, each carrying a $20,000 surety bond.
Both entries list an offense date of August 5, 2026. The booking information shows Baer was released the same day he was taken into custody, with both charges listing a personal bond disposition.
Misuse of official information is identified by Odessa police as a third-degree felony. The department has not provided additional details explaining how Baer obtained the information, what the messages said, or the identities of the arrestees he is accused of contacting.
Additional information, including the mugshot featured in the image above, was discovered on the Facebook page of Telemundo news anchor and executive producer Patsy Casas. Despite the above information being made public through the Odyssey Public Access Jail Search, his mugshot was not available.
Odessa Police Says Baer’s Conduct ‘Erodes the Trust’ of the Community
The allegations are particularly significant because investigators say the information at the center of the case came directly from Baer’s work involving arrests. Police did not characterize the messages beyond saying they were sent for “inappropriate reasons,” leaving the specifics of those interactions undisclosed.
Odessa police made a point of distancing the department from Baer’s conduct in announcing his arrest. Officials said his actions violated the department’s Standard Operating Procedures in addition to being unlawful.
“Baer’s actions erode the trust that the Odessa Police Department works hard to build between the police and our community,” the department said. It added that his conduct “does not reflect the values of the Odessa Police Department and the City of Odessa.”