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GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) — A former police commander charged with felony stalking no longer has to wear a GPS ankle bracelet.

Aaron Sanchez, the former second-ranking officer for the Johnstown Police Department, is accused of stalking a former female co-worker for 19 months.

Weld County Judge Marecelo Adrian Kopcow sided with Sanchez Monday afternoon over the objections of Chief Deputy District Attorney Tamara Love.

Sanchez, 48, was arrested on Feb. 3 by Weld County Sheriff’s deputies and released on a personal recognizance bond the next day. He didn’t have to post any money for his release, but the judge did mandate a protection order for the victim and insisted Sanchez wear a GPS monitor on his ankle to ensure he doesn’t go near the victim.

At Monday’s bond modification hearing, Sanchez’s defense attorney pointed out that since Sanchez’s internal affairs interview in June 2021, there have been no allegations of stalking made by the victim.

“That fact is an important factor for me to consider,” Kopcow said minutes before agreeing to remove the ankle monitor as part of Sanchez’s bond conditions. The judge noted that Sanchez still has a protection order and any violation of that or his bond condition would likely land the 24-year law enforcement veteran in jail almost immediately.

Love, the chief deputy district attorney, pointed out that even after Sanchez was fired in September, he filed a complaint a month later against the victim with her new employer, the Loveland Police Department, which she said showed an effort of retaliation.

FOX31 has filed a public records request with Loveland Police for the results of its internal affairs investigation but haven’t received the records yet. The arrest affidavit filed against Sanchez hints Loveland Police found no wrongdoing by its female employee and considered Sanchez’s allegation to have no merit.

Sanchez’s defense attorney, Troy Krennin, said in court that the criminal case is an “absolute vendetta against Aaron Sanchez” by the police chief and city manager of Johnstown.

Referring to the GPS ankle bracelet, Krenning said, “It’s unnecessary. Sanchez is not a danger.”