Former Texas Juvenile Correctional Officer arrested after being accused of indecency with child at facility

EDINBURG, Texas – A former Texas Juvenile Justice Department correctional officer has been arrested for crimes against a child in an Edinburg correctional facility.

Gerardo Puente, 27, has been charged with two counts of indecency with a child by exposure and one count of indecency with a child by contact. He was arrested Monday.

The arrest stems from an investigation in June, which claimed that the incidents occurred between May and June of 2024. While working as an officer at Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg, authorities believe Puente touched the genitals of the victim. They also believe the victim exposed themself to him at his request on two separate occasions.

The exposure charges are third-degree felonies that are punishable by up to 10 years in confinement, while the contact charge is a second-degree felony that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.