Jose Nunez, 47, was arrested Sunday morning for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old relative and blackmailing her mother with deportation
A Texas sheriff deputy has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old relative and threatening to deport her undocumented mother if she reported him.
Detention officer Jose Nunez, 47, was arrested Sunday morning as he was off duty on a warrant for super aggravated sexual assault, pending formal charges.
The four-year-old child is related to Nunez and he is accused of inappropriately touching her genitals on numerous occasions causing ‘at least some indication of minor injury’ at her residence.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says the abuse took place for several months and potentially as long as two years. He added there could be other victims as well.
Nunez, who worked for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years, silenced the mother of the child by threatening to reveal her undocumented status and deport her back to Guatemala if she reported the assault.
The child ‘made an outcry to her mom’ who brought her to a local fire station to report the abuse Saturday evening.
He was arrested Sunday around 3am and is being held without bail.
Nunez, who worked as a detention deputy in Bexar County, Texas for 10 years, was arrested Sunday morning after the victim’s mother reported the abuse to a fire station
He worked here at the Bexar County Detention Center and has been placed on leave
‘The details of the case are, quite frankly, heartbreaking, disturbing, disgusting and infuriating all at the same time,’ Salazar said in a press conference.
‘Folks like this are creatures of habit and opportunity. I don’t know that he was purposely targeting the undocumented community. Certainly I think what appealed to him, in this case anyway, is the vulnerability of that community because of the fact that they’re less apt to report things,’ he added.
Police have not released the victim’s residency status and the mother has been given a protected status in the case.
Nunez is due in court Monday afternoon. If sentenced he could face a minimum of 25 years behind bars.
Nunez has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.