Former Deputy Pleads Guilty For Soliciting Sex From A Minor

GALVESTON, TX — A former Galveston County Sheriff’s deputy who was accused of sending a teenage girl explicit photos of himself and asking her for sexual favors, pleaded guilty in district court on Tuesday.

Ruben Ornelas, 35, was indicted on November 2016 for soliciting sex from a 14-year old girl, entered his guilty plea and waived any rights to appeal.

Prosecutors in the case said Ornelas sent photos of his genitals to the girl, a well as other graphic and lewd text messages, all of which were discovered by Ornelas’ wife, who knew the girl was underaged, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Ornelas met up with the girl several times and forced him to perform sex acts on him, according to court documents.

Ornelas was fired from the Galveston Sheriff’s office in 2015, after allegations arose that he’d forced a female inmate to perform oral sex while transporting her from the jail to the Galveston County Justice Center for a hearing.

Those charges were later dropped when officials were unable to find the former jail inmate, the Chronicle reported.

Ornelas will be sentenced at a later date.

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