During my 17+ years at the helm of this website, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone melt the hearts of metro lady news viewers quite like Paco Balderrama.
The former P.I.O. for the OKCPD, Paco was a hunky regular on metro TV news throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Dressed in form-fitting blues that tightly clasped over his muscly man arms, he would enticingly look into the camera, give a trademarked smile, and provide the details on the latest metro armed robbery, homicide, or kidnapping.
In 2020, Paco left metro women heartbroken when he took his good looks and seductive charm to Fresno, California to serve as that city’s police chief.
As I wrote at the time, his departure especially rattled the Nichols Hills housewives scene, who always looked forward to seeing Paco on the news while day-drinking wine spritzers on their patios.
Unfortunately, it looks like Paco’s good looks, charming demeanor, and, uhm, lack of moral character may be the tragic flaw combo that leads to his demise.
According to various Fresno media reports, Paco’s days as the police chief of the San Joaquin hamlet appear to be coming to a controversial end after he was caught having an “inappropriate relationship” with a non-city employee.
Here are the basic details via the Fresno Bee:
Chief Paco Balderrama has been under investigation since February for an alleged inappropriate relationship with someone who is not a city employee, according to a news release on Thursday.
Balderrama, who has been chief for more than three years, was not placed on administrative leave but remains under investigation by an independent investigator retained by the City Attorney’s Office, according to the release.
As a red-blooded heterosexual American man who’s friends with many other red-blooded heterosexual American males, I believe that once someone’s a cheater, they’re always a cheater.
Knowing that, I wonder how many inappropriate relationships Paco had while he was in OKC?! If you have any scoop or details, send them our way!
In the meantime, I know what you’re thinking:
“Big deal. He had an affair. That stuff happens all the time. If it wasn’t with an employee or subordinate, is it really a fireable offense?”
Normally, I’d agree with you, but what Paco did was perhaps worse than hooking up with one of his employees! He had a lengthy two-year relationship with an employee’s wife!
To make matters worse, The Sun is reporting that Paco apparently blocked an advancement opportunity the would have given his mistress’s husband weekends off, which the story reports, “would have interfered with Balderrama’s preferred time to access the subordinate’s wife.”
As a result, it appears Paco is losing the support of the Fresno Police Officers Association:
Yeah, I don’t blame the Fresno Police Officers Association for being mad about this. I’m sure there are many unwritten rules to being a cop, and staying away from a coworker’s spouse must be one of them!
Anyway, I guess it will be interesting to see what happens to Paco as a result of this scandal. I’d imagine it’s pretty hard for a police chief to keep his job when he loses the trust of the Police Association, and every other male cop is worried the chief is going to make a move on his wife.
If it doesn’t work out for him in California, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to Oklahoma City. From all accounts, he was respected and well-liked in our police force, and I bet the metro's lady news viewers will welcome him back with open arms, especially after knowing he’s kind of available.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
