SAN ANTONIO – A quartet of Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies blamed for erroneous inmate releases last year had their suspensions dramatically shortened, according to records released to the KSAT 12 Defenders Friday.
Deputy Carlos Sifuentes was handed a two-day suspension in October after an internal investigation determined his poor job performance caused inmate William Castillo to be negligently released last March.
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Castillo was taken back into custody in the 100 block of Merida Street hours later, according to a previous KSAT report.
Sifuentes was initially given a proposed 10-day suspension but had it shortened after a hearing with Deputy Chief Avery Walker and county human resources.
Cpl. Susan Palomo had a proposed 15-day suspension shortened to two days in November after an investigation found that she attached the wrong bond to the paperwork of inmate Erica Morales in September.
Hours after Morales was released, deputies initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of Commerce and Comal streets and were able to take Morales back into custody without incident, BCSO said at the time. That intersection is at the southwest corner of the jail Morales was erroneously released from hours earlier.
Palomo’s suspension was shortened after a hearing with Walker and members of county human resources.
Sgt. Stephanie Flores’ proposed 15-day suspension was shortened to one day after she, too, was blamed for her role in the release of Morales.
Flores, like Palomo, saw her suspension knocked down after a hearing with Walker and HR.
A second BCSO sergeant, John Paul Garcia, saw his proposed 15-day suspension shortened to one day in November after a hearing with Walker and HR.
An investigation of Garcia determined that he allowed inmate Esequiel Hernandez to be walked out of jail in September, even though Hernandez’s paperwork said, “Do Not Release, Custody Transfer Only.”
Hernandez was later located near General McMullen and West Commerce Street, according to a BCSO news release.
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