A former Hialeah cop was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Now he’s out on ‘good behavior’

Former Hialeah Police Sgt. Jesus Menocal Jr. was sentenced to three years in prison for sexually abusing young women. But now, less than two years later, he has been released from prison.

The 36-year-old was released early on “good behavior” and is now in a halfway house and has been on probation since April 12, according to court records. He was not required to register as a sex offender under the federal civil rights statute in his case.

In 2022, Menocal agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges accusing him of forcing three people to touch his penis, perform oral sex or have intercourse, according to federal court records. The three incidents were part of a series of complaints dating back to 2014 and 2015 that included alleged oral sex involving a 14-year-old girl.

During his sentencing, one of the victims said, “He ruined my life, and I can never forget about it.”

Another said, “Menocal, you’re a coward. You have no value or respect for women at all. ... He hid behind a police uniform to abuse a 19-year-old — me.”

As part of his plea deal, Menocal agreed to surrender his police license and not reapply for any law enforcement position.

Records show that under the conditions of his release, he is not allowed firearms during his probation. In April, his attorney filed a motion asking a judge to allow him to possess them for job purposes. His family owns Menocal Training, a company that trains people in handling firearms.

His father, Jesus Menocal Sr., is the former police chief in Sweetwater. His uncle, Ignacio Menocal, was also a police officer.

The federal judge denied the motion to allow him to use firearms.