MART, Texas (AP) — A Texas juvenile prison officer has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in custody.
Jatavian Smith was arrested Wednesday. An affidavit states that the 22-year-old admitted to having the boy perform oral sex on him in the boy's cell last Thursday night.
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department says it began investigating Smith Friday and immediately suspended him. He was fired Monday.
The agency says Smith was booked into the McLennan County Jail Wednesday morning. He was not listed on Waco-area jail's online inmate roster Wednesday afternoon. No attorney for him could be immediately identified.
Camille Cain, the department's executive director, says the boy received immediate medical care and the agency has "zero tolerance for such behavior."
