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Portland Police Officer James Escobar (right) and Reserve Officer John Kirby (center)collect guns during a firearms turn-in for Ceasefire Oregon in 2011.

(Oregonian/file photo)

A Portland police officer is facing an internal investigation for repeatedly covering the VIN number on his personal car and driving around without license plates to avoid parking fees downtown, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.

Officer James Escobar, a member of the Portland Police Bureau for three years, was caught 10 times illicitly parking his car near Central Precinct during a roughly five-month period in an apparent scheme "intentionally calculated to avoid paying for parking in the City of Portland," wrote Chief Deputy District Attorney Don Rees.

The district attorney's office considered pursuing criminal charges of official misconduct and theft against the 30-year-old Escobar, Rees wrote. But because Escobar committed the acts while off-duty and because he eventually paid the more than $1,000 in fines and fees he amassed, the district attorney's office declined to prosecute him. KOIN TV first reported the story Monday.

This photo was taken by a City of Portland parking-enforcement employee, of a car later identified as belonging to Officer James Escobar.

“This office has never pursued criminal charges in those instances where parking (violators) have paid outstanding fines to the court,” Rees wrote in a memo explaining the decision.

“The conduct of Escobar, is however, quite troubling,” Rees wrote. “It is the understanding of the District Attorney that this matter will be subject to a full investigation and review by the Internal Affairs Division and it is assumed that the Portland Police Bureau will take such administrative actions against Escobar as deemed appropriate under the circumstances.”

Escobar couldn’t be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

Rees said his office is in the process of deciding whether it will accept for prosecution cases where Escobar has made arrests or issued citations.

Sgt. Pete Simpson, a spokesman for the Police Bureau, said Escobar remains on an afternoon patrol shift. Simpson confirmed that Escobar is under internal investigation.

This is what happened, according to the DA’s memo:

-- Escobar was first caught shunning parking rules last Aug. 18. A city parking enforcement employee spotted Escobar’s car illicitly parked, but couldn’t identify him as the owner because the car’s license plates were missing. The Vehicle Identification Number also had been obscured by a piece of paper. The employee cited the car -- the first of 10 citations for violations including failure to pay during meter hours and failure to display current registration.

-- On Jan. 6, an enforcement employee on routine patrol made a break in the case after encountering Escobar’s car illegally parked in a truck loading zone. The employee saw the driver behind the wheel and the VIN covered with a piece of paper that appeared to be a temporary trip permit. The permits are issued by the state DMV before a car owner gets permanent license plates.

After the employee asked if the permit was expired, the driver replied “yes.” When the employee remarked that the license plates were missing, the driver then responded: “I know, I don't want anyone to steal them." The driver then drove off before the employee could issue a citation.

-- The city’s parking-enforcement division sought and received a warrant to tow and impound the car the next time an enforcement employee spotted it.

That happened on Jan. 25. As a tow truck driver hooked up the car and a parking-enforcement employee watched, Escobar pulled up in his marked police patrol car. He was on duty and wearing a police uniform. He said he was the car’s owner and he tried to pay a “drop fee” to have his car released on the spot.

Escobar was told that wasn’t possible because of the warrant for the car.

“Both witnesses told the detectives investigating this case that Escobar was polite, courteous and specifically stated his request was made as private citizen,” Rees wrote in the DA’s memo.

Two days later, Escobar paid more than $1,000 in fines and fees -- and he got his car back.

-- Aimee Green