Deputies said the 18-year-old detainee could not legally consent because the accused worker held authority over her.
POMPANO BEACH, FL — A former contracted worker at a state juvenile justice facility in Broward County was arrested Monday after deputies said he sexually battered an 18-year-old inmate at Pompano Youth Academy.
Jess Delgardo, 32, faces charges of sexual battery by a person in a position of authority and sexual misconduct between a detention facility employee and an inmate. The case centers on a youth residential facility at 3090 North Powerline Road in Pompano Beach. Authorities said the investigation began after a report late Sunday and remained open after Delgardo’s arrest.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said deputies and Special Victims Unit detectives were sent to the facility after officials received a report at about 10 p.m. Sunday about possible sexual battery. Investigators said the allegation involved Delgardo, who worked as a direct care worker or guardian for youth at the facility. A facility supervisor had spoken with the alleged victim after an incident between two inmates raised accusations about sexual activity with an employee. The inmate told the supervisor she was in a “form of relationship” with a worker she knew as “Jessie,” according to the arrest report. Detectives later identified that worker as Delgardo.
The arrest report said the alleged victim described a flirtatious relationship with Delgardo and told investigators they exchanged messages in a notebook. Deputies said the messages included sexual comments between the two. The report also said the inmate told authorities that Delgardo exposed himself to her in her room and that sexual contact followed. Investigators noted that the woman was 18, but said she could not legally consent because she was housed in a youth detention facility and Delgardo was her direct care worker or guardian. Authorities have not released the alleged victim’s name. Parts of Delgardo’s statement to investigators were redacted in publicly reported details.
Pompano Youth Academy is a Florida Department of Juvenile Justice facility for girls ages 13 to 18. Public descriptions of the program list it as a moderate-risk residential facility that serves youths who may need mental health or substance abuse services. The Department of Juvenile Justice said Delgardo was not a state employee. The agency said he worked for a contracted provider that operates the facility. Local reports identified the provider as Rite of Passage Inc. The department confirmed after the arrest that Delgardo had been fired. “The safety of our youth is our top priority,” a Pompano Youth Academy spokesperson said, adding that the facility was cooperating with law enforcement.
Delgardo was taken into custody early Monday and booked into the Broward County Main Jail. A judge set his bond at $30,000. Court officials also ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim. The charges place the case in a category involving authority inside detention settings, where state law treats consent differently when a worker has power over a confined person. Investigators had not announced additional arrests as of Monday afternoon. The Broward Sheriff’s Office said the inquiry remained active, and detectives were continuing to review the allegations, the facility report and other evidence tied to the case.
The arrest has brought added attention to the role of private contractors inside juvenile justice facilities. In this case, state officials said the accused worker was employed by a provider rather than the Department of Juvenile Justice itself. The facility houses teenagers who are under state supervision, making staff oversight and reporting rules central to the investigation. The first report came from inside the facility, after a supervisor learned of the allegation and contacted authorities. Investigators then moved the case to the Special Victims Unit, which handles sexual assault investigations. No public report has said whether detectives are looking at additional alleged victims, and authorities have not said whether facility staffing or supervision practices are under separate review.
By Monday afternoon, Delgardo remained jailed on the listed bond while the criminal case began moving through Broward County court. The next steps are expected to include formal case review by prosecutors, any bond-related filings and further court appearances. The Department of Juvenile Justice and the facility operator said they were cooperating with law enforcement. The Broward Sheriff’s Office has said the investigation is ongoing, and any additional findings would come from detectives or prosecutors as the case develops.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.