Denton police arrest former city jail employee accused by inmate of sexual harassment

A city jail employee was fired and arrested Tuesday after an inmate reported that the prison guard sexually harassed her last year, Denton police said.

According to a police news release, former civilian prison guard Miguel Mederos, 22, is accused of abuse of office when a woman said he sexually harassed her after she was released from the city jail. The woman told police last week that Mederos offered to drive her away from the prison on Jan. 2, 2023, and made several sexual comments during the ride, the news release said.

According to the press release, the woman said Mederos made sexual advances to her via text message that night. Denton police said Mederos was placed on leave after receiving the report. After an investigation, he was fired and arrested Tuesday.

“After reviewing the evidence and conducting interviews, investigators concluded that Mederos, a public servant acting under the guise of his office or employment, intentionally sexually harassed the victim by demanding sexual favors,” the press release said.

Mederos was taken to the Denton County Jail and released Tuesday on $2,500 bail. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

According to the press release, Mederos had been employed by the department since June 2022. Denton police said Mederos was not a commissioned peace officer but a civilian employee of the city jail.