Former Temple police officer Erick French II was arrested Thursday after a two-count indictment of making false statements to federal investigators.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas, alleges that French, 24, lied to FBI agents on March 16 and March 21, 2016, in order to hide the fact that he sent a text message alerting someone of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Temple Police Department's Special Investigations Unit.

In press release, Temple PD Public Information Officer Shawana Neely said once an agent with the SIU assigned to a federal task force discovered that French may have compromised an investigation, that agent immediately notified an FBI agent also assigned to the task force.

After the FBI notified Temple PD they'd be conducting a criminal investigation into French's alleged actions, Temple Police Chief Floyd Mitchell authorized an internal affairs investigation and placed French on investigatory leave, Neely said.

The investigation concluded that the allegations against French had merit, and he may have violated City of Temple and Temple Police Department policies and procedures, as well as rules and regulations of the Temple Fire Fighters and Police Officers Civil Service Commission.

In light of the findings, Chief MItchell suspended French indefinitely.

FBI agents arrested French Thursday morning after the two-count grand jury indictment was unsealed in Austin. French was released on $25,000 bond after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske. He is scheduled for arraignment before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Austin on September 19.

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