A sheriff's deputy in Texas, is facing charges of improper photography after allegedly making sex offenders pose for nude photographs.
Chad Hightower, 41, a sergeant with 22 years experience with the Wise County Sheriff's Dept., was arrested Sept. 12 after a 28-year-old man filed a complaint.
The first incident allegedly happened in June when the unidentified man attempted to register as a sex offender at Hightower's office. The man had recently completing a sentence for indecent exposure, WFAA TV reports
Hightower allegedly told the man that a new state law required all sex offenders be photographed in the nude. He allegedly took the man into the bathroom in the lobby and made him pose for several photographs from different sides.
A month later, the man met with Hightower again to update his sex offender information.
Hightower allegedly told the man that he needed more photos because the first pictures were defective due to a glare.
Hightower then allegedly drove the victim in a county vehicle to the county's impound yard and photographed him in an office.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Hightower allegedly attempted to get the victim to pose with an erection.
“After a short time, Deputy Hightower reportedly advised (the victim) he believed the next thing the State was going to require was photographs of a sex offender’s erect penis. Deputy Hightower asked (the victim) if he could obtain an erection for him, so that the needed photographs could be taken and (the victim) would not have to return in the future for them.”
The victim declined the request. Hightower allegedly asked him a few more times to comply before the victim was allowed to get dressed and go home.
Jack McGuinn, a Wise County district attorney Investigator, told the Wise County Messenger that the victim was able to describe details that would only be known by someone who had been inside the impound lot.
Surveillance video from the sheriff’s office lobby shows Hightower with a camera with the man. Hightower's actions in the video are “consistent with (the victim’s) description of events,” according to the affidavit.
Hightower was charged with improper photography and released on $25,000 bail. He has been placed on leave pending a retirement scheduled for Sept. 30.
Investigators suspect Hightower deceived other sex offenders.
An inspection of Hightower's county-issued camera revealed several more images of nude men taken in similar surroundings.
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