One SAPD officer let go after a theft charge; another is accused of grabbing a woman's breast

FILE PHOTO: Officers Jeremias Duque Jr. and Joe Castaneda were indefinitely suspended from SAPD in November.
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San Antonio Express-News
By Julie Silva, Staff writer
December 22, 2023

A San Antonio police officer has been removed from the department after he allegedly grabbed a woman’s breast while intoxicated. A second officer also was let go in November, two years after being accused of theft.

Officer Jeremias Duque Jr. was indefinitely suspended — essentially fired — Nov. 30.

The suspension paperwork states Duque was drinking at a house in New Braunfels early on July 23 when witnesses said he placed his hand on the breast of the homeowner’s mother and asked if they were “real.” She later told a New Braunfels police officer he was a “jerk” and she was offended by the action.

When someone else at the house confronted Duque, saying “You can’t just touch his mom like that,” the suspension paperwork states Duque asked, “What are you going to do about it?”

Then, things got physical.

The man told police Duque swung at him and missed about five times. He said he hit Duque three or four times before the homeowner separated them.

Afterward, witnesses told police Duque punched and broke a window at the house and forced his way back inside. The homeowner’s wife said her husband tried to stop him, but Duque shoved him out of the way, ripping a curtain off the back door in the process.

The responding New Braunfels police officer said Duque “was too intoxicated to talk to, honestly.” Her report states he had bloodshot eyes, trouble maintaining his balance and slurred speech.

Witnesses guessed Duque drank more than six beers, four to five Jell-O shots and two pickle shots.

“It was just very disrespectful,” the responding officer told a San Antonio police supervisor. “I just want you to know that is absolutely, in no shape, way or form, how an officer should be acting outside of uniform.”

Duque was taken to a hospital, where a security officer said he “used profanity toward the staff and refused to follow hospital procedures.” He described Duque as rude, irritated and agitated, according to the suspension documents.

“Another on-duty NBPD officer assigned to the call stated that he would’ve arrested Officer Duque for public intoxication if he hadn’t been transported to the hospital,” documents state.

Duque was listed as a suspect for indecent assault and criminal mischief by New Braunfels police.

Also in November, officer Joe Castaneda was officially let go two years after being accused of theft between $2,500 to $30,000. The alleged theft happened July 7, 2021, but he wasn’t indicted by a grand jury until August.

Documents state Castaneda responded to a shooting in progress at a hotel in July 2021. He and another officer detained a man, and Castaneda’s body camera shows him handling more than $200 taken from the man.

But the booking paperwork states the detained man had only $34. The man later said he was missing about $4,400, a lighter, a silver money clip and a Gerber pocketknife.