LA PORTE, Texas – The Police Department says it expects to have its investigation into claims a jailer raped an inmate completed within a few days.
The jailer, who resigned after the female inmate came forward, has not been arrested. The female inmate, who asked that we not use her name, was serving a few days in jail for an unpaid traffic fine.
"I was in jail for a speeding ticket. Why wasn't he in jail for this," asked the victim, who is in her 20s.
The jailer admitted the two had sex, but he claims they mutually agreed to do it.
It's against the law for a jailer to have sex with an inmate, but the penalty can be only months in jail.
He faces a much stiffer prison sentence if investigators prove it was an aggressive sexual assault.
"We want a conviction just as bad as everyone else and we want to make sure we get the appropriate charge and have the best evidence available," said La Porte Police Department Sgt. John Krueger. He says his department is investigating as quickly as detectives can.
Krueger says his office has been told by the Harris County District Attorney's Office that they only get one chance to present a case and they want to have the strongest case possible.
"This individual does not reflect the caliber nor the character of the men and women of La Porte Police Department. This man is an outlier who chose to break the law," he said.
But until investigators determined how severe his illegal acts were, they are holding off filing charges, he said.
Krueger said the department does not feel the jailer is a flight risk or a risk to others in the community. He says investigators looked into the man's background and didn't find anything else concerning.