Michael Verdugo was placed on administrative leave from the Hollywood, Florida police force on Wednesday. Verdugo was known as Mikey V when he was a recent contestant on HGTV’s Design Star.

The reason Verdugo was suspended is unclear, but appears to be related to problems he has been having with his police partner Eric Augustus, who is heterosexual.

Verdugo appeared in a 1996 gay bondage film called Rope Rituals, which is not longer in print. He joined the police force in 2001, 5 years after making the movie. The trouble in the police department didn’t start with Verdugo’s porn past, and appears to have nothing to do with his current problems. In 2004 Hollywood cops responded to a domestic disturbance call involving two gay men. Both were Hollywood cops. One was Verdugo, who had been working in the department for three years, but had not come out to his co-workers.

Chief Scarberry was concerned Verdugo would be harassed. During lineup on the morning after the incident, according to department sources, Scarberry delivered a stern warning: Any officer who teased Verdugo or the other gay officer could expect a suspension and possible dismissal.

The police Chief was protecting Verdugo from any harassment, but then Verdugo started filing complaints against his partner Augustus, who has a distinguished 19 year career. It could be that Verdugo may have been the one with the problems. The knee-jerk reaction is to believe gay harassement, when it could be the opposite, heterosexual harassment by Verdugo, that could have caused him to be suspended. We’ll have to wait and see what the investigation determines.

A police spokesman said:

"Verdugo has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of a fact-finding Internal Affairs investigation."

Verdugo’s attorney, Al Milian, said:

"My client has done nothing wrong. He has served the community of Hollywood with honor and distinction for over 10 years. The only reason someone would criticize my client is that he publicly has a different lifestyle. My client has done absolutely nothing wrong. Nothing unethical. Nothing to bring discredit upon his police department, except serve his community."

In 2002, the Sun-Sentinel covered a boxing match in Hollywood that featured the now Design Star contestant Michael Verdugo, right, in the ring with Sunrise firefighter Frank Cagan at Hollywood Young Circle bandshell. (pictured below)

Also pictured below is Verdugo, or someone that looks exactly like him, and has the exact same tattoos, in the gay porn movie Rope Rituals.