On Monday, the jury in the 187th Criminal District Court convicted Michael Fernandez, a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office detention officer, of Tampering with a Governmental Record, a Class A Misdemeanor.
The charges against Michael Fernandez arose from a June 15, 2016, incident that occurred in the jail between Fernandez and an inmate while Fernandez was on duty.
Fernandez was suspended for 15 days following a determination by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department that Fernandez had used excessive force against the inmate and then lied about the incident on his official report.
Later, Fernandez was arrested after a grand jury returned an indictment against him for his actions that day.
The jury sentenced Fernandez to six months of probation. As a condition of probation, the judge ordered that Fernandez must also complete an anger management course. He also must pay a $1,000 fine.
This conviction means that the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) will consider Fernandez disqualified to hold a license to be a jailer or a license to be a peace officer in the State of Texas.
“The jury’s verdict in this case sends a strong message to our community, and the men and women in law enforcement, that this type of behavior in our jails is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales.
Information on Fernandez’s employment status may be obtained from the BCSO.