Employee taints police chief's food

Jaime Perez

Charged with second-degree felony

Updated: Wednesday, 29 Oct 2008, 1:14 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 28 Oct 2008, 2:42 PM CDT

BURNET, Texas (KXAN) -

A cook at a Burnet restaurant was arrested Monday for tainting a hamburger he prepared for the Burnet Police Department chief Oct. 20. According to his arrest affidavit, Jaime Perez, 23, told a friend he wiped himself with a hamburger bun he was serving Police Chief Paul Nelson at Andy's Landing . Perez also said he put the veggies in his mouth before placing them on the burger and proceeding to spit and blow his nose on it.

The citizen told Chief Nelson who filed a complaint with the Burnet County's Sheriff's Office. The Chief recalled seeing Perez along with another cook standing behind the counter watching him eat his food that day. "Jaime is our best cook," said Andy's Landing General Manager Tiffany Tappe. "It's the last thing we ever expected."

Tappe was shocked when Burnet County investigators walked into the kitchen and arrested Perez Monday. Tuesday, they also arrested cook James Ledesma at the restaurant. Both employees have been charged with tampering with consumer product, a second degree felony. "It's hard," said Chief Paul Nelson. "But, I knew things like this might happen when I became a police officer."

Nelson has dealt with Perez previously and believes he tainted his food out of retaliation. "Without the person coming forward, I might not have ever known," said Nelson.

Nelson believes his food was contaminated on more than one occasion. A Burnet police officer's dash cam video picked up the voice of a disorderly Perez Oct. 11. Investigators said he can be heard ranting about the chief and stated that he spat on the buns and rubbed the buns "on his buns."

Sheriff's Office Investigator Dwight Hardin said this was an isolated incident. Chief Nelson underwent immediate medical tests but will need medical tests every three months to check for communicable diseases. The results are still pending. Investigators are still discussing whether or not they will obtain a search warrant to draw Perez' blood to test for communicable diseases. Perez is not talking to investigators. Nelson is determined to let citizens know this act was only directed at him.

"We've got a great community here in the city of Burnet, and the restaurants are good," said Nelson. In the meantime, Andy's Landing is being open and honest with customers regarding the charges brought against two of their cooks. They believe slow business Tuesday was a direct result of the word getting around in the small town.

"I hope that our customers do keep coming in, and trust us to continue preparing their food," said Tappe. Tappe said the restaurant owner is waiting on the outcome of the case to determine what will happen to Perez and Ledesma. The suspects are still employed, but are not allowed to cook.

Employee taints police chief's food

Charged with second-degree felony

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