A Denton city jail employee was fired and arrested in connection with the sexual harassment of an inmate, police said in a news release.
On July 17, a woman reported to authorities that the jailer, 22-year-old Miguel Mederos, offered her a ride to his vehicle after she was released from the Denton city jail on January 2, 2023. She accepted the offer and Mederos made several sexual statements toward her during the outing, she told authorities. He also made sexual advances toward her in text messages that same day, according to the statement.
After the report, police immediately placed Mederos on administrative leave, the statement said.
After reviewing evidence and conducting interviews, detectives determined that Mederos intentionally “subjected the victim to sexual harassment by requesting sexual favors” acting at his command, the release states.
Mederos was fired on Tuesday and arrested on charges of official oppression. He has worked for the Denton Police Department since June 2022.
“Our community is accustomed to high-level police service and it is essential that our actions reflect that reputation. This individual’s behavior is disgraceful and certainly does not represent the values of Denton law enforcement,” Interim Police Chief Jessica Robledo said in the statement. “All Denton PD employees are held to the highest standards in our city and when their actions are inconsistent with that expectation, we have a duty to act quickly.”
Mederos is being held in the Denton County Jail on $2,500 bond.
Anyone with information about the case or any employee misconduct is asked to contact the Internal Affairs Sergeant. Michael McIntire at 940-349-8965.