El Paso Police Officer Arrested on Official Oppression Charge

EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso police officer is in custody on a charge of official oppression after a woman told investigators he engaged in non-consensual physical conduct of a sexual nature while he responded to a call at a North Mesa hotel, the El Paso Police Department said.

Police identified the officer as 23-year-old Jorge Andres Minjares, an 8-month probationary officer. His bond is set at $25,000.

The department’s Special Investigations Unit led the investigation. Police said it stems from a September 19, 2026, incident at the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites at 7651 N. Mesa, where Minjares responded to a call for service.

The victim, an adult woman, told investigators that Minjares engaged in the conduct during that call, according to the department.

Police arrested Minjares on the official oppression charge and booked him into the El Paso County Detention Facility. The department placed him on administrative leave without pay.

The department’s news release, dated October 30, did not say when the arrest happened. It also did not say how the investigation began or whether Minjares has an attorney.

Official oppression is the charge listed in the release. An arrest is not a finding of guilt, and Minjares is presumed innocent unless a court proves otherwise.

Reporters can direct questions to Det. Judy Oviedo of the department’s Public Affairs and Media Relations unit at 915.838.5098 or ASKPD@elpasotexas.gov.