Two Deputies with Bexar County, Texas, San Antonio, are Indicted for Official Oppression
Sheriff Javier Salazar of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) in San Antonio, Texas, announced on April 11, 2018, that two deputies with his office have been indicted for allegedly assaulting a 25-year-old male prisoner at Bexar County Adult Detention Center Facility in San Antonio. In addition, Salazar said, more charges may be forthcoming, in connection with alleged retaliation against fellow deputies that allegedly occurred during the investigation into the prisoner assault.
The charges that the 26-year-old and 30-year-old deputies have been indicted on are of official oppression. Without identifying which deputy allegedly did what, the sheriff described the incident, which occurred in June 2017. He said the prisoner was surrendering his hands, to be handcuffed. At that point, one of the deputies allegedly struck the prisoner with a stick several times, causing injury. After the prisoner was handcuffed, the other deputy allegedly punched the prisoner in the face as he was being led out of the jail cell.
Salazar said that people who are entrusted to the custody of Bexar County will not be treated in the manner described. The prisoner was released after the investigation was completed.
After the 2017 incident, the two deputies allegedly involved in official oppression were placed on administrative duty. Both shared their account of what happened. Salazar said two other officers at the detention center also went forward to make a statement. They basically shared that they believed what they saw was against the law.
It was after that time that the two accused deputies allegedly became involved with retaliation against their fellow deputies, beginning with verbal threats.
Salazar formed a public integrity unit, and the unit investigates crimes allegedly committed by public officials. That unit is handling this investigation.
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