More Drama for Dusterhoft

APD Commander Jason Dusterhoft (center) in 2012. (Photo by John Anderson)

A woman who was with Austin Police Commander Jason Dusterhoft on the night he is alleged to have assaulted his ex-girlfriend has told APD, via a sworn statement delivered today, that Dusterhoft procured cocaine for her after she mentioned that it was missing from their party.

The woman, Chrysta Childers, is the former roommate of Dusterhoft’s ex-girlfriend; she has communicated with APD’s Internal Affairs and Special Investigations Unit at various points since Aug. 29, five days after the night in question. Feeling recently that the IA investigation into Dusterhoft had stalled, she today filed a criminal complaint regarding the alleged drug offense. Childers said that she plans to send copies of the complaint by certified mail to APD, the FBI, the DEA, Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, City Manager Spencer Cronk, and Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore.

Childers alleges she was in a private VIP booth at the Yellow Rose gentlemen’s club with Dusterhoft and others on her birthday, Aug. 24, and that after 30 minutes there she “jokingly stated” to Dusterhoft, “We have strippers and bottle service. … All that is missing is cocaine.” In her complaint, she states that a man who appeared to be in his late 60s was also seated at the table; upon her mention of cocaine, he sent a text and then nodded to Dusterhoft, who stood up, said he’d “be right back,” and returned 90 seconds later with “a small reddish orange baggie in his hands.” Childers said that he threw the baggie, “visibly containing a white powdery substance,” onto the table, looked at her, and said, “Happy birthday.” Childers said that she ingested the cocaine that was brought to her.

This is not the first time Childers has alleged that Dusterhoft helped procure cocaine that night – she also did so on Michael Cargill’s “Come and Talk It” radio show on KLBJ-AM – and she said on Monday that she had described such an occurrence to Internal Affairs on Sept. 7. However, she acknowledged that she did not make her allegation to SIU at any point during that investigation. At present, she has no definitive evidence to support her claim.

Childers was at the Spy Shop on Airport Boulevard on Monday afternoon with members of the “External Affairs” outfit, a loose consortium of former public safety employees who function as DIY investigators of law enforcement agencies. (Two members of the group have been sued for defamation by Dusterhoft, as has Michael Cargill. On Wednesday, Dusterhoft added Childers to his suit, citing the allegations in this story.) She said someone at the shop called APD to have an officer come out; according to Childers, six officers arrived but would not take her complaint. Instead, Childers said, they photocopied the sheet of paper and said that they would deliver it to a sergeant at Internal Affairs, which has until February to issue its findings to Chief Brian Manley.

A spokesperson for APD was not able to comment on Monday afternoon, citing the Veterans Day holiday and a need to confer with the department’s legal team. Calls to Dusterhoft’s attorney Jason Nassour were not immediately returned. We will update this story as new information comes in.

Dusterhoft has been on administrative leave since late August, when he was first alleged to have assaulted his ex-girlfriend during an argument. Though it’s said to be unlikely that he’ll face criminal charges for that complaint, it’s unclear what sort of fate he faces concerning his future employment with APD.