Total fired in Harris jail sex probe jumps to six

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 Reported Mike Glenn at the Houston Chronicle ("Deputy, detention officers fired in sex probe at county jail," Oct. 5):

A widening sexual misconduct investigation at the Harris County Jail has led to five additional firings, including a supervising deputy, Sheriff Adrian Garcia said Friday.

The firings include four civilian detention officers and take to six the number of employees who have been fired in the investigation that began in August 2011, Garcia said. Earlier this year, another deputy was indicted in the case, then fired.

The allegations involve sexual misconduct between jail staff and other employees as well as between jailers and inmates.

Sheriff Garcia:

said the sexual activity happened in the laundry rooms at the 1200 Baker and 1307 Baker jails.

The inmates having sex with the jailers were adult women. When asked how many were involved, Garcia said only, "numerous."

The internal investigation began last year when an inmate was found with a pair of tennis shoes, considered contraband.

"Then the ball of yarn began to unravel," Garcia said.

The story also offered up this tidbit about the frequency of past, similar infractions: "Since 2007, there have been more than 20 officers and civilians who were either suspended without pay or fired for having inappropriate relations or contact with inmates, including kissing, intimate touching, indecent exposure, providing contraband or engaging in sexual relations, according to a Houston Chronicle review of disciplinary records."