HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - A Hialeah Police officer is under federal investigation for alleged sexual assault after more women have come forward with similar allegations to those that were brought against him four years ago, according to published reports.
7News interviewed a teenage girl in 2015 who described what, she said, Hialeah Police Officer Jesus Menocal did to her after he pulled her over.
“Honestly, I was going to get raped,” the 17-year-old victim said. “I thought he would make me sleep with him. He puts down his weapon belt, and he starts rubbing on his private part, which is his [expletive], and he tells me to take off my pants. If not, I was going to get arrested.”
After the allegations were made, Hialeah Police conducted an investigation.
“He asked me if he was to test me right that moment, if I had any diseases on me,” the victim said.
Ultimately, the Miami Herald reported, they decided to keep the officer on the force and give him a pay raise, but according to state documents, there are more young women — one as young as 14 years old — who have made similar allegations against Menocal.
They have made formal complaints, and the Herald reported there is a federal investigation into the officer.
According to documents from the State Attorney’s Office, prosecutors did not believe the victims would be credible in court, partly because some of them were victims of human trafficking.
“None of the girls could give more than a vague date range for the incidents,” prosecutors wrote. “Based on the lack of corroborating evidence, the criminal investigation cannot proceed.”
In 2015, only the young teenager came forward, but even then, she and her girlfriend at the time believe there was more to the story.
“To be honest, I think that this situation happened to more than one girl,” the victim’s girlfriend said.
7News has reached out to Hialeah City Hall and Hialeah Police for comment, but they have not responded to 7News’ request for an interview.
Police will hold a press conference to discuss Menocal on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at their headquarters.
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