Former Del Rio detective’s child sex assault case reset to September

Joshua Garcia will not be back before a judge for about 90 days after his case returned to Val Verde County 83rd Judicial District Court on Monday, June 23. The reset pushes the former Del Rio Police Department detective’s child sex assault case into September and leaves one of the county’s most closely watched criminal matters still unresolved.

Garcia, 33, was indicted by a Val Verde County grand jury on September 29, 2025, on charges of sexual assault of a child, possession of child pornography, possession of lewd material involving a child, and official oppression. The Del Rio Police Department later said Garcia was fired after the indictment, and investigators said a forensic examination of his personal cellphone found multiple explicit images of the underage victim along with other evidence.

The delay matters in Del Rio because the allegations involve a former officer from the city’s own police department, a detail that has kept the case tied not only to criminal charges but also to public trust in law enforcement. The department said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy for employee misconduct and remains committed to transparency, accountability, and public trust. For a small border county, a case like this reaches far beyond a single docket entry, especially when residents are watching how long serious accusations against a former officer can remain pending.

The case is assigned to Judge Robert E. Cadena’s 83rd Judicial District Court, which sits at 100 E. Broadway, 3rd Floor, in Del Rio. Val Verde County’s district clerk supports the 63rd and 83rd District Courts and serves as custodian of criminal pleadings and papers, the paperwork that keeps a case moving between hearings, resets, and any eventual resolution.

Monday’s reset did not bring a plea, dismissal, or trial setting, but it did mark another stretch of waiting for victims, former colleagues, and county residents looking for an answer. The next meaningful milestone is the September court date, when Garcia is expected back before the judge and the case can move another step toward either a negotiated outcome or a trial setting. Until then, the file stays active and the questions surrounding the former detective remain open.