An Oregon Department of Human Services employee assigned to Child Protective Services falsified child abuse reports in at least 15 cases, according to investigators.
Miguel A. Fuentes III, 34, was arrested Thursday on charges of official misconduct and tampering with public records.
Investigators said Fuentes has been employed as a social services specialist with Oregon DHS since August 2011. He was most recently assigned to the Beaverton office, where his duties included the investigation of child abuse and neglect reports.
During one investigation, a Washington County Sheriff’s Office detective and another DHS employee discovered inconsistencies in official child abuse reports completed by Fuentes.
Investigators said Fuentes submitted reports documenting in-person contacts and interviews that never took place.
Other reports contained false statements and work that was allegedly completed on days Fuentes was not in the office, according to deputies.
Detectives reviewed many of his cases and said they discovered at least 15 with falsified information.
Fuentes was placed on administrative leave when DHS learned of the investigation in November 2016.
Deputies said DHS has cooperated fully with the investigation and the agency has since re-assigned cases involving Fuentes.