Ex-Montgomery County Jail deputy sentenced to 100 days behind bars after having sex with inmate

HOUSTON – A former Montgomery County Jail deputy who pleaded guilty to improper sexual activity with a person in custody has been sentenced to 100 days in jail.

Sharleen Diane O’Banion, 33, had sex with Jacob Parker, a 28-year-old man in custody, while she was an employee of the Conroe Montgomery County Jail facility, police said.

Authorities said they were alerted to what had happened after O’Banion and Parker shared a recorded call on Dec. 17, 2021, in which they discussed their sexual activity.

During an interview, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office authorities said O’Banion confessed to having oral sex with Parker on Nov. 17, 2021, in an area that was out of sight in the jail.

A detective shared this narrative in court documents: “O’Banion said there was a drug issue inside the jail which led to no floor workers in ‘B-Quad,’ which I know through my experience to be a housing section inside the jail. O’Banion said since there were no floor workers, jail staff would take volunteers from another housing unit to perform cleaning duties in ‘B-Quad.’ O’Banion said she went to an area out of sight inside of the Montgomery County Jail with Parker and the two kissed. O’Banion said Parker (had sex). O’Banion said this happened...one time.”

Parker had been in the jail since March 2, 2021.