Harris County deputy arrested for indecent exposure at north Houston store

HOUSTON - A Harris County deputy has been reassigned following his arrest for allegedly exposing himself in a store in 2024.

Harris County deputy arrested

What we know:

According to Harris County court records, 34-year-old Michael Fontenot Jr. was arrested on Sunday, July 13. He has since posted his $100 bond.

In a statement, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said Fontenot was relieved of his duty as a deputy the same day as his arrest. He has since been "temporarily assigned to an administrative role with no law enforcement duties."

"The sheriff’s office administrative disciplinary committee will review the evidence gathered during an ongoing internal affairs division investigation to determine whether further action, including possible termination, is warranted," the statement read.

Allegations against Harris County Deputy

The backstory:

The exposure charge against Fontenot was filed in April 2025. 

According to the charging documents, the incident happened on August 11, 2024, at a Dollar Store on Little York Road.

A witness claimed that a man was in the same aisle as her, and she saw him "playing with" his genitals in his hand while looking at merchandise on the shelf. 

The witness said the suspect didn't make eye contact with her, but she went to tell an employee. She then saw the suspect leaving the store and went out to confront him, but she lost sight of him.

Then, the witness saw the suspect in a vehicle with the driver's side window rolled down. She saw the license plate and allegedly took a video of the suspect driving away.

The witness later gave a description of the suspect to a detective.

A detective ran a search on the license plate number, and the vehicle came back registered to Michael Fontenot Jr.

In March 2025, the detective met with the witness so she could give a statement and identify the suspect from photos. The woman identified Fontenot's photo as the suspect.

What we don't know:

There is no information available about the time gaps between the alleged incident and Fontenot's arrest.