Monterey County Probation Dept. employee accused of sexual contact with juvenile inmate
Photo: Jennifer Butz-Tavares / Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
An employee of the Monterey County Probation Department has been arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct with an inmate, which reportedly began when the inmate was a minor.
The case first came to light in late May, when the department discovered inappropriate communication between an employee and an inmate at the Monterey County Jail.
A subsequent internal investigation by the Sheriff’s Department revealed that the alleged victim was a minor when he’d first had sexual contact with director Jennifer Butz-Tavares, which continued after he was released from custody and continued still after he became a legal adult.
Butz-Tavares has since been placed on administrative leave and arrested on suspicion of communication with a minor for the purpose of sex, annoying or molesting a child, assault under the color of authority, and dissuading a victim from reporting.
She remains in custody on $30,000 bond.
