Sheriff Identifies Man Found Dead in Jail Tuesday Morning

The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Department identified the inmate found dead in his cell as Michael Patrick Redente, 40, of San Angelo. His next-of-kin have been notified, Sheriff David Jones said.

Rendente appeared July 29 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy M. Koenig and pleaded guilty to an indictment charging one count of possessing prepubescent child pornography. He was out on bond awaiting sentencing, Jones said.

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Above: An inmate allegedly committed suicide in the Tom Green County Jail on Tuesday morning. (LIVE! Photo/John Basquez)

The judge ordered Rendente to turn himself in by yesterday, which he did at the Tom Green County Jail. He was not in jail 24 hours before he was found dead, Jones said.

Jones said that Rendente was found in his cell hanging at around 8:35 a.m. this morning. The block of cells where he was detained is checked every 30 minutes, Jones said. Jones said that jail personnel cut Rendente down and jail personnel and a San Angelo EMS crew attempted to revive him unsuccessfully. Justice of the Peace Judge Buck Fred Buck pronounced him dead at 10:30 a.m.

The first responders who found Rendente thought the death was a likely suicide. However, TGCSO investigators and the Texas Rangers are investigating the death. Buck ordered an autopsy.

Rendente was facing a maximum federal penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.

Homeland Security Investigations carried out a search warrant at his residence in San Angelo on April 21. Then, Redente was found in possession of a hard drive containing prepubescent child pornography and taken into custody.

The then-39-year-old was charged in a federal indictment by a Lubbock Grand Jury.