A former Hialeah police sergeant took a plea deal in a high-profile case. He was accused of taking advantage of women in his custody.
Jesus Menocal Jr. now faces sentencing in a case nearly seven years in the making.
Menocal admitted Friday in federal court that between 2014 and 2015, while acting as a police officer, he illegally detained three young women and violated their civil rights. He pled guilty to three misdemeanors of violating the civil right of unreasonable search and seizures but avoids major felony charges.
"We feel that this is going to give Jessie and his family a chance to move on and get on with their lives,” said Jude Faccidomo, Menocal’s defense attorney at a brief news conference after the hearing.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
Menocal was facing a long list of possible outcomes for forcing different sexual acts on three women he held in custody in 2014 and 2015.
For all three counts, if served consecutively, the guidelines say he could be facing up to three years in jail, a $300,000 fine, restitution, and supervised release.
Local
Menocal also agreed to give up his law enforcement license.
Under the deal, he avoids other allegations such as kidnapping, which could have been life in prison.
"As you all know, this case has been going on for a long time. The Menocal family has been under the weight of this investigation for about seven years now," Faccimodo said. "Jessie made a decision today as a father, as a husband, and a son to put this behind him."
He'll be officially sentenced in a hearing on May 12.
This ends a drawn-out saga, which began in 2015 when allegations first emerged. 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 chose not to charge, calling it a “challenging” case without corroborating evidence.
The FBI made the arrest in 2019.
If Menocal violates the plea agreement, he could face the other felonies.
