Former HPD cop accused of taking $8k from wife's boss in armed robbery

Ray Faustino Acuna, a former Houston police officer, is accused of robbing the office where his wife worked. Ray Faustino Acuna, a former Houston police officer, is accused of robbing the office where his wife worked. Photo: Handout Photo: Handout Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Former HPD cop accused of taking $8k from wife's boss in armed robbery 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A former Houston police officer is accused of robbing his wife's place of business, after forcing her into the office building at gunpoint.

Ray Faustino Acuna, 26, who resigned Feb. 2 from the Houston Police Department, allegedly took nearly $8,000 from a law firm in the 1700 block of Lubbock Street during an armed robbery at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Surveillance video shows that a man later identified as Acuna, wearing a blue bandana over most of his face, pointed a black, semi-automatic handgun at his wife as she was in the parking lot behind the business. Holding her right arm, the man forced her inside the building, according to court records.

The business owner told police that, once Acuna was inside, he threw his wife to the floor and aimed a gun at two other female employees who were counting money.

The women said the suspect yelled at them to get on the floor and pulled one by her hair.

The other woman said she l at the robber, who pointed the gun at her and said, "If you turn around one more time, I'm going to shoot you."

Grabbing a purple envelope with $7,835, he ran out the back door westbound about a minute after he entered, the witnesses said.

Investigators found a Houston Police Department raid jacket in the business parking lot and identified Acuna as a person of interest after interviewing witnesses.

Acuna was arrested Friday and remained in the Harris County Jail on $100,000 bail, according to law enforcement records. He is charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

According to HPD, Acuna was relieved of duty Jan. 17, pending an investigation by the department's Internal Affairs Division. HPD spokesman Victor Senties could not give more details.

carol.christian@chron.com