In a turn of events that spotlights the issue of substance abuse within the criminal justice system itself, a Juvenile Probation Detention Officer has been taken into custody in El Paso, Texas. On Thursday, January 22, El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte reported through a social media post that a substance suspected to be cocaine was discovered in a secure area of the juvenile detention facility.
The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Jacob Montes, was caught on security cameras in an unfortunate moment, dropping what appeared to be a clear plastic bag containing a white powdery substance. Found within the confines of a facility meant to rehabilitate, the footage brought to the surface questions about the integrity of those appointed to guide troubled youth. Deputies assigned to the Juvenile Probation Department were alerted by the detention staff once the suspicious substance came into view.
Upon testing, the white powder tested positive for cocaine, confirming the initial suspicions of the detention facility's staff. Jacob Montes, the detention officer in question, was subsequently arrested and now faces a charge of Prohibited Item in a Correctional Facility. Montes was processed and booked at the El Paso County Detention Facility, shedding light on the stark contradiction of a supposed guardian of the law enshrouded in the malaise of illicit activity.
