Police Coercion in Super Aggravated Sexual Assault Case

The application of coercion is always a matter of control and it has not been quite so blatant in recent headlines as a case in which a Texas sheriff’s deputy was held for “super aggravated sexual assault” of a 4-year-old child. The authorities indicate that the victim’s mother, an undocumented immigrant, was being blackmailed to maintain her silence regarding the abuse or face deportation. Jose Nunez, a detention officer with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested while he was off-duty after the frightened mother took her daughter to a fire station for help. The abuse is thought to have gone on for months, potentially years and there may be additional victims. The department is currently petitioning to give the mother protected status pending the final outcome of the case.