On February 9, 2017, Washington County Sheriff's Office detectives assigned to the Child Abuse Unit arrested 34-year-old Miguel A. Fuentes III.
Fuentes has been employed as a Social Services Specialist with the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) since August 2011. He was most recently assigned to the Beaverton office, where his duties included the investigation of child abuse and neglect.
During a child abuse investigation, a sheriff's office detective and a DHS employee discovered inconsistencies in official child abuse reports completed by Fuentes. Fuentes submitted reports which documented in-person contacts and interviews that never occurred. Other reports contained false statements and work that was allegedly completed on days Fuentes was not in the office. Detectives reviewed many of Fuentes' assigned cases and found at least 15 cases with falsified information.
When DHS learned of the investigation in November 2016, they placed Fuentes on administrative leave. DHS cooperated fully with this criminal investigation. DHS has since re-assigned cases affected by Mr. Fuentes to ensure child safety.
Fuentes has been charged with 15 counts of Official Misconduct I and 15 counts of Tampering with Public Records.