Hidalgo County employee arrested on harassment charges

McALLEN — A Hidalgo County health department employee was arrested on charges he told a woman she would have to sit on his lap and kiss him to qualify for medical assistance.

Serjio Hinojosa, an eligibility specialist with one of the health department's eight clinics, was arrested Monday afternoon on charges related to sexual harassment, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño announced. Hinojosa had been previously accused by five women of similar charges when he worked at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Hinojosa, who worked with the county for a year, was fired by the commission following the accusations, but the Attorney General's Office did not file formal charges for unknown reasons.

Treviño said the previous accusations are past the statute of limitations.

Eddie Olivarez, chief administrative officer for the county health department, said he would have no comment on the arrest pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Hinojosa, who will be arraigned on the charges today, was arrested following a 12-week investigation into the allegations.

A victim told investigators she made an appointment at the health department clinic at 300 E. Hackberry St. in McAllen for medical assistance in July 2008, an affidavit of probable cause says. Hinojosa, the caseworker assigned to her, told her she was prettier in person.

He told her to sit on his lap and said she would need to give him a kiss if she qualified, the affidavit says. When he told her she had indeed qualified, he demanded the kiss.

Sheriff's Office investigators subpoenaed employment records from Hinojosa's previous employer that revealed that five female clients had filed complaints against Hinojosa for sexual harassment.

The five female clients, who did not know each other, provided similar stories to investigators.

Hinojosa was arrested on Official Oppression charges, a Class A misdemeanor.

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Jared Janes covers Hidalgo County government, Edinburg and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.