The father of a Corrections officer accused of attempting to smuggle contraband into the Department of Corrections said the family is relying on the courts to determine the truth, even as they grapple with the emotional toll of the case.
In a phone interview, Frank Pacho, the biological father of 20-year-old Cleon Otto Reyes Pacho, said they are refraining from discussing details of the case as it remains active before the Superior Court.
“The case is still in court,” he said. “And we trust the legal process to uncover the truth. And we're allowing the justice system to do its job.”
Pacho said the family had limited contact with his son in the immediate aftermath of his arrest.
“From the beginning… you can't even speak with him for two days straight,” he said. “Nobody knows what's going on. Nobody tells me or calls us or notifies us from their side.”
He added that the only initial communication came through a single phone call facilitated by authorities.
Despite the uncertainty, the elder Pacho said his emotions have stabilized somewhat after seeing his son.
“Now that I can see that my son is okay… the feelings that I have is kind of, as of now, humbly okay. Still hurt inside.”
He declined to discuss specifics of their conversation during the court appearance.
Asked about his son’s character, Pacho described him as an achiever who has consistently strived to do what is right.
“My son has always been someone who tries to do the right thing… he will never do anything wrong for what he knows that is wrong, he will not,” he said.
He added that his son had received “challenger tokens of accomplishment” during deployments while in the U.S. Army and is “not the type that can be bribed or bought.”
“He is actually an achiever… sometimes he surpass it way more than expected,” Pacho said. “His only dream is to be professionally successful and work hard for his family and future.”
The elder Pacho said the family has received an outpouring of support following news of the arrest.
“We are grateful also for those many people that believe in him… they believe that my son is innocent on this one,” he said, noting calls from former teachers, colleagues, and friends.
Still, he emphasized that the family is not drawing conclusions.
“I'm not saying that that's the truth. I do not know,” he said. “But the thing is, we're relying on the court's decision.”
On speculation circulating in the community that his son may have been set up, Pacho said those are claims coming from others, not the family.
“A lot of people [are] calling us… they're telling us that my son is not like that. They do not believe,” he said.
He also spoke about the impact on the family, particularly the accused’s mother.
“The mom is, of course, sad. Who's not going to be sad?” he said. “When she saw the picture of the son in court… she broke down and cried.”
For now, Pacho said their focus remains on the legal process and their son’s well-being.
“This is an active case… we cannot discuss anything detailed,” he said. “But we appreciate everyone's concern.”
He added that his personal wish is for his son to be cleared.
“Of course, my wish is for my son to be free and proven innocent,” he said. “As long as the court decides, that's the thing that we will follow.”
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