A Hays County sheriff’s corrections officer has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child in Guadalupe County, officials said.
George Snell was being held Wednesday at the Guadalupe County Jail with bail set at $2 million. He was indicted by a grand jury, according to a news release from the Guadalupe County sheriff’s office. “Due to the sensitivity of this case and to protect the victim, we will not divulge any further details regarding this investigation,” the release said.
Snell is the second Hays County corrections officer to be arrested in two weeks. Corrections officer John Duran was arrested April 24 after a female inmate accused him of sexual misconduct, including asking her to take a shower and then watching her take it, officials said at the time.
The Hays County sheriff’s office has been aware of an ongoing criminal investigation against Snell since August 2024, according to its social media post Wednesday.
“To avoid compromising the integrity of that investigation, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office deferred its internal administrative review until it was appropriate for Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office to share sufficient information,” the post said.
It said the Hays County sheriff’s office fired Snell on Tuesday, which was the same day the Guadalupe County sheriff’s office notified the agency that arrest warrants had been issued for him. Snell was hired by the Hays County sheriff’s office in November 2022, the post said.
“The arrest of a Hays County Sheriff’s Office employee for such a horrific crime is sickening and a betrayal of everything this badge stands for,” Sheriff Anthony Hipolito said in the social media post. “I know this damages the trust our community places in us — and I don’t take that lightly. Let me be clear: there is zero tolerance for criminal behavior in this agency. Any employee who breaks the law, especially in ways as vile as this, will be held fully accountable.”
“If you’re involved in criminal activity, leave now — because we will find you, expose you, and will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” Hipolito said. “From day one, I’ve made accountability and transparency my priorities, and that will not change. We are cooperating fully with investigators, and we will do everything necessary to ensure justice is served. No one is above the law, and protecting our community, especially our children, remains our highest duty.”
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Hays County corrections officer charged with sexual assault of child, indecency
Reporting by Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
