A Columbus police officer was arrested earlier this month following an investigation.

The investigation led to the arrest of Ulises Israel Hernandez, 20, on March 2, 2026. Hernandez was charged with felony child molestation and felony create or possess visual medium depicting minor. Hernandez is also charged with misdemeanor battery.

The felony charges are connected to an incident that occurred on August 1, 2024, according to the Muscogee County E-Court Portal. The misdemeanor battery charge is connected to an incident on July 31, 2025, the e-court portal says.

Hernandez appeared in court on March 3, 2026, and pled not guilty to all charges. The case was bound over to superior court. Hernandez remains in jail without bond.

Hernandez appeared in multiple Columbus Police Department social media posts over the past two years. Hernandez joined the department in as part of the cadet program, and eventually graduated from the police academy in 2025.

Details surrounding the case are unclear. Police have not issued a statement regarding the arrest.

(Editor’s Note: The mugshot of Hernandez was not available in the database system where all mugshots are available. We are working to independently obtain the mugshot of Hernandez. In the meantime, we are sharing his picture which was posted in 2025.)