A former Hialeah, Florida police sergeant pleaded guilty Friday to three federal civil rights offenses involving sexual conduct with multiple women.
Jesus Manuel Menocal Jr., 34, admitted to kissing a woman, placing her hand on his exposed penis, having a second woman, who was in psychiatric crisis, perform oral sex on him and forcing a third woman, who was walking alone at night, into submitting to oral and vaginal sex," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release.
"While not directly related to the offenses to which he pleaded guilty, Menocal also admitted to bringing a fourth female into a Hialeah Police Department building and ordering her to remove her shorts and underwear, causing her to expose her buttocks to him. Menocal admitted that he was on-duty and in uniform during all of these acts, abusing his official authority," the agency said.
As part of his plea deal, Menocal is banned from working anywhere in the United States as a police officer, according to local news outlet WFOR. However, he will not have to register as a sex offender. According to Jude Faccidomo, Menocal's attorney, said outside federal court that because the crimes are misdemeanors, not felonies, his client won't be subject to sex offender registration laws.
Menocal Facing 3 Years in Prison
Menocal was originally charged with felonies, the defense attorney said, but it appears the charges were dropped as part of the plea deal. According to federal court records, Menocal was originally indicted on two counts of depriving a person's rights under the color of law.
According to the aforementioned court documents, Menocal "exposed his bare penis" to one of the women, "placed her hand on his penis, and kissed her." As to another victim, court documents say Menocal "caused" that victim's "mouth to have contact with his penis." As to a third, court documents say Menocal also "caused" that victim's "mouth to have contact with his penis and penetrated her vagina with his penis."
All of these facts were alleged as violations of the various victims' rights to be "free from unreasonable searches and seizures" under the U.S. Constitution "by a person acting under color of law," according to the records.
Menocal's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 12. He could face a maximum prison sentence of 3 years – one year for each charge.
"Menocal sexually exploited the very people he swore to protect," said U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida. "He betrayed his oath as a police officer and cast a dark shadow over the outstanding work done by the fine law enforcement professionals who serve our communities. Such egregious civil rights violations will not be tolerated."
