A 28-year-old man from Laredo is now in custody for allegedly sexually assaulting and violating the civil rights of two women, as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Hector Humberto Rodriguez Jr. is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 1:30 p.m.
Following his arrest, a federal grand jury unsealed a five-count indictment returned on Feb. 6.
Rodriguez, who was employed as a correctional officer with the Webb County Sheriff’s Department, is accused of committing the offenses on two separate occasions. According to the indictment, he forcibly sexually assaulted the two women while they were inmates at the Webb County Jail, thus depriving them of their civil rights.
If convicted, Rodriguez could face up to life in prison, along with potential fines of $250,000 for each of the five counts listed in the indictment.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Department of Justice - Office of Inspector General.
