Warrants seek cell phone records of officers connected to deadly botched raid

HOUSTON – Channel 2 Investigates has learned another search warrant has been unsealed in the investigation of a deadly botched drug raid by the Houston Police Department.  

Five officers were injured in the raid at a residence on Harding Street and two homeowners -- Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas -- were killed.

The search warrants reveal how HPD is going about investigating the case against officers Gerald Goines and Steven Bryant. Both have been relieved of duty since the raid. Both have also retired from the force.

Goines is accused of lying on the affidavit used to get a no-knock warrant that led to the raid. The original affidavit claimed Goines had been working with a confidential informant for at least two weeks prior to the raid. The original warrant indicated Goines witnessed the confidential informant buy drugs at 7815 Harding Street one day prior to the deadly raid. 

The search warrant was issued in February and unsealed this month. It requests permission to search a T-Mobile device and records from T-Mobile. 

The warrant is "requesting records going back to January 1, 2019, through February 1, 2019. Affiant is aware that the records will show location information along with call detail records of both Officer Goines and CI#2. Affiant is aware that the records will show if either officer was at the location of the shooting prior to the date of January 28, 2019. In addition, Affiant is aware that the call detail records will show if/when Officer Goines communicated with any potential CI.

"Based on Affiant's investigation, Affiant believes that Officer Goines tampered with a government document by presenting the affidavit to a municipal court judge, swearing to false statements contained within the affidavit of the warrant while knowing of the falsity of the statements."

Channel 2 Investigates within the last week has reported on other unsealed warrants.

The search warrants request a judge's permission to search Goines' and Bryant's workspaces at the Mykawa southeast police station.

The warrant is to search for:

"Property or items constituting evidence of the offense of Tampering with a Government Document ... including historical files on narcotics investigations, all field notes detailing current narcotics investigations, personal computers, or other electronic devices ... (and) any paperwork detailing the personal information or other documentation pertaining to confidential informants being used in the course of Gerald Goines' employment as a Houston Police Department, narcotics officer ... ."

Channel 2 Investigates revealed five other search warrants that showed police are looking for telephone records that would show Goines and Bryant communicated on their personal cellphones and multiple times.

According to the warrant, "Affiant is aware based on training and experience that when individuals commit an offense together, they will communicate before and/or after the offense via their cellular device... Affiant believes there is evidence of the offense of tampering with a government document contained on the personal cellphone belonging to Steven Bryant."

The additional warrants indicate that Houston police want to know whether the confidential informant No. 1 or Goines or Bryant were ever at the Harding Street address prior to January 28 as indicated in a sworn affidavit.

Channel 2 Investigates Tuesday showed video of inside the Harding house after reporter Mario Diaz was granted access inside the house with the family.

See below for a timeline of the Harding Street raid: