Written by Amanda Coers – The Brown County Sheriff’s Office recently had the unfortunate duty of arresting one of their own after a jailer, Dennis Essary, was indicted for inappropriate sexual contact with an inmate at the Brown County Jail. 

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According to Brown County Sheriff Vance Hill, on April 24th his office received allegations from female inmate of inappropriate sexual contact with a jailer identified as Dennis Essary. Sheriff Hill immediately placed Essary on administrative leave that same day and the Criminal Investigation Division of his office began looking into the report. 

The investigation revealed evidence to corroborate claims made by the inmate as well as witnesses. On April 30th, after the investigation was complete, the Sheriff’s Office terminated Essary’s employment. Last week the results of that investigation were presented to the Grand Jury and an indictment for Civil Rights Person In Custody Violate/Sexual was returned. 

In Texas, sexual contact between staff and inmates is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. 

After the indictment was pronounced, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrested Dennis Essary in Brownwood on July 26th. Essary was booked into the Brown County Jail and later released on a $5,000 bond. 

“It’s my constitutional duty to protect the inmates and when there are allegations of this nature I take them very seriously,” Sheriff Hill said.

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