Deputy Charged In Sex Assault

A Galveston County Sheriff’s deputy was taken into custody today in connection with a Dallas County sexual assault charges.

Investigators from the Grand Prairie Police Department alerted Galveston Sheriff’s officials to their investigation and charges earlier today.  Sheriff’s warrant detectives moved quickly to take Miguel Zapata, 44, into custody without incident this afternoon in the 3500 block of Cove View Boulevard in Galveston.

Zapata, a deputy assigned to duties at the County Jail since September, 2010, is charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child in connection with an investigation being conducted by Grand Prairie police.  No details related to the investigation were available.

Zapata is being held at the Galveston County Jail under a $100,000 bond, and is expected to be taken to Dallas County in the coming days for proceedings related to his charges.

Professional Standards investigators from the Sheriff’s Office have initiated an administrative investigation into the allegations against Zapata to determine his employment status with the agency.