Prison guard resigns over fondling accusation

Woman says she was ‘in total shock’ after alleged incident

A Texas prison guard has resigned amid an investigation into allegations he fondled a woman outside a Jasper lockup last year.

Now, local activist Quanell X is calling for faster movement on the Office of the Inspector General’s criminal investigation into the officer’s conduct outside the Goodman Unit.

“This guard should be indicted; he should be charged,” Quanell told reporters at a Wednesday news conference in downtown Houston. “We want to know what’s taken the OIG’s office so long to move this case forward to have it fully prosecuted.”

Sylvia Hidalgo was visiting her fiancé at the state prison last fall when she first encountered the officer at the center of the accusations. During one visit, the 47-year-old said, the guard allegedly reached into the window and felt her breast while searching the car before visitation.

“I wasn’t dressed provocatively,” she said. “When I left, I was just in total shock.”

But, fearing the possibility of consequences for her incarcerated fiancé, she didn’t go public with her claims. Instead, she returned prepared during her next visit, leaving her phone on the floor near the brake pedal in order to record the interaction.

In video released at Wednesday’s news conference, a man can be seen reaching into the car and lightly touching Hidalgo’s underarm and breast. It’s not clear whose arm is shown, but the Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed that the guard in question resigned last fall after he was confronted with the allegations. The Chronicle was not able to reach him for comment.

“Initially, they treated her like she was a suspect, not a victim,” Quanell said. “Too often when a woman makes an outcry, she is treated as a suspect, not a victim. This lady is a victim; the video speaks to her being a victim. The video is louder than words.”

Though he released only one short video clip on Wednesday, Quanell said Hidalgo saved another piece of footage, allegedly showing the officer shushing her as if indicating she shouldn’t tell anyone what happened.

After Hidalgo came forward with her accusations, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice launched an investigation and the officer resigned, according to prison spokesman Jeremy Desel.

Prison officials passed the information along to the independent Office of the Inspector General, which handles criminal probes for the agency. It is expected to hand over its results to prosecutors for possible charges, Desel said.

“This is a bad, bad case, and it needs to be quickly prosecuted,” Quanell said. “TDCJ needs to send a message that they have a zero tolerance policy for this kind of behavior.”

Though the incidents took place last fall, Hidalgo waited nearly a year to come forward publicly because she feared officers at the unit would retaliate against her fiancé, who was released Wednesday.

“He’s now finally home and free, and they can’t do anything to him,” Quanell said.

The inspector general did not immediately respond to a request for comment.