Following an arrest on a charge of indecent exposure, 34-year-old Harris County deputy Michael Fontenot Jr. has been shifted to administrative duties with no enforcement powers. According to ABC13, Fontenot Jr. managed to continue working for months while the charge was pending, only to be pulled off duty following a traffic stop that revealed an active arrest warrant.
Court documents allege that the incident in question took place inside a Dollar Tree store on August 11, 2024. A witness reported seeing a man, later identified as Fontenot Jr., exposing and inappropriately handling himself. The witness managed to quickly get his license plate number as he departed the scene. FOX26 Houston reports the police took several months before positively identifying Fontenot Jr. through a photo lineup confirmed by the witness.
Last Sunday, Fontenot Jr. was arrested, and his bond was set at $100, a sum that he posted. "The sheriff's office administrative disciplinary committee will review the evidence gathered during an ongoing internal affairs division investigation to determine whether further action, including possible termination, is warranted," the Harris County Sheriff's Office stated in response to inquiries regarding Fontenot's status, as noted by FOX26 Houston.
There was no provided reason for the delay between the initial report of the incident in August and Fontenot's arrest almost a year later, nor was the reason for the delay in executing the arrest warrant clear. The Harris County Sheriff's Office did move quickly to reassign Fontenot to a non-law enforcement role, stating he was "temporarily assigned to an administrative role with no law enforcement duties," as per a report by FOX26 Houston.
