A second juvenile correctional officer was charged earlier this week with allegedly using excessive force against a youth in custody at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center in Dallas County.
Former Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) supervision officer Michael Leopold Richards, Jr. turned himself over to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office this week after the Office of Inspector General obtained an arrest warrant, the TJJD told The Dallas Express.
He was booked at Dallas County Jail Monday. However, by Friday afternoon, Richards no longer appeared on the jail’s inmate database, suggesting he had been released on bond.
The TJJD said that the arrest warrant was issued for the 49-year-old for “Official Oppression,” which is a Class A Misdemeanor.
If convicted, Richards faces upwards of one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000.
An investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General found that the alleged incident occurred in July 2022, when Richards “used excessive force against a juvenile in custody resulting in bodily injuries,” the TJJD told The Dallas Express.
The TJJD directed further questions to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, which has not responded to The Dallas Express’ request for additional information as of Saturday.
This is the second recent arrest of a juvenile correctional officer for allegedly using excessive force In Texas.
In late July, Jorge Hernandez was charged with official oppression for an alleged incident at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correction complex in Brownwood, roughly 140 miles northwest of Austin.
In a press release, TJJD stated, “Hernandez, while employed by TJJD, used excessive force in the commission of his duties on a juvenile who was in the custody of TJJD.”
Anyone can report allegations of misconduct to the TJJD’s Incident Reporting Center by emailing a complaint to [email protected] or by calling a 24-hour toll-free hotline: 1-866-477-8354.