By Staff Writer
A onetime Hialeah police sergeant who took a plea deal after he was alleged of taking advantage of and forcing sex acts on women in his custody has turned himself in to begin serving a three-year sentence.
Jesus Menocal Jr. turned himself in to a federal prison in Pennsylvania over the weekend, his attorney said Monday.
Menocal pleaded being responsible in federal court in March to three misdemeanor counts of violating the civil right of unreasonable search and seizures, avoiding major felony charges.
Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Menocal to three years behind bars and one year of supervised release at a hearing in May.
Menocal had been facing a long list of possible outcomes for forcing different sexual acts on three women he held in custody in 2014 and 2015.
The claims emerged in 2015 but the Hialeah Police Department chose not to pursue charges after an investigation. Menocal was later given a raise and a promotion to sergeant.
Miami-Dade prosecutors also decided not to pursue charges against Menocal, calling it a “challenging” case without corroborating evidence.
He was eventually arrested by the FBI in 2019.
Under the plea deal, Menocal averted other allegations such as kidnapping, which could have led to life in prison. He also agreed to give up his law enforcement license.
