Texas Sheriff's Deputy Fired After Posting Photos of Herself Posing With Jail Inmates on Social Media

A Texas detention deputy has been fired after photographs circulated online showing her posing with female detainees and making an obscene gesture towards the camera.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Karla Beltran was dismissed on Monday, 12 October, under its probationary procedures. The images show her in uniform on one side of a glass partition, with detainees posing on the other.

Photographs Show Deputy Posing With Detainees

In one photograph, Beltran raises both middle fingers towards the camera and sticks out her tongue, while a woman behind the glass also makes an obscene gesture.

Other images show the deputy making a kissing expression and holding up peace signs, with women on the opposite side of the partition striking similar poses.

The photographs were taken inside a jail unit, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The newspaper reported that it was unclear who took them or under what circumstances.

The New York Post, citing local reporting, said Beltran posted the images on social media. The sheriff's office's confirmation of her dismissal did not publicly set out the full sequence of events surrounding their circulation.

The women pictured were in a holding area at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center. Their identities have not been disclosed in the reporting.

Dismissal Came During One-Year Probation

Beltran began working for the sheriff's office on 1 July and was dismissed just over three months later.

Newly hired county law enforcement employees must complete a one-year probationary period under Bexar County Civil Service Commission rules. During that period, the sheriff's office assesses whether recruits meet its expectations for conduct and performance.

The sheriff's office confirmed the dismissal on Tuesday, 13 October, a day after Beltran's employment ended. Its description of the action as a 'probationary dismissal' places the decision within the assessment period for newly hired detention deputies and cadets.

KABB reported that recruits who fail to meet expectations or conduct standards during that period face immediate dismissal. Beltran had completed just over three months of the required year when she was dismissed, rather than reaching the end of probation. The broadcaster said employees dismissed under those procedures cannot appeal the decision.

Beltran's dismissal was an employment action. It does not, by itself, establish that a criminal offence occurred.

Sheriff's Office Investigating the Images

The sheriff's office told KSAT that it would not specify who took the photographs or how they were taken because the matter remained under investigation.

Officials said no criminal charges were pending as of Wednesday afternoon, 14 October.

The department confirmed Beltran's dismissal but did not publicly identify any additional disciplinary matters considered before ending her employment.

Earlier Bexar County Case Involved Inmate Videos

In a separate case in November 2022, a former Bexar County deputy was arrested after allegedly allowing inmates to use a mobile phone, with videos appearing on social media, KENS 5 reported.

That case concerned alleged access to a phone rather than photographs of a deputy posing outside a holding area. No connection between the incidents has been reported, and the sheriff's office has said no criminal charges were pending against Beltran.