EVANGELINE PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- An Evangeline Parish sheriff's deputy has resigned amidst an ongoing state police investigation into inmate abuse at the parish jail, and families of the victims fear he may be able to get another law enforcement job.

According to Sheriff Charles Guillory, Deputy Joshua Lafleur's resignation came soon after the investigation began.

A video showing several inmates being pepper sprayed, slammed, and punched by deputies at the jail is what sparked Louisiana State Police's investigation in September. Sources say one of the deputies abusing the inmates is now-former Captain Joshua Lafleur, who turned in his resignation after the videos surfaced.

Brenda Pete, the mother of one of the inmates being mistreated says she now fears because Lafleur resigned, he could do this again somewhere else.

"We all feel that the cops, they're supposed to be there to protect and serve and not harm," Pete said.

Her son is seen being slammed and punched by deputies in one of the videos. She fears Lafleur will now get a job in law enforcement in another parish, as he was not fired and has not been criminally charged.

"Just him resigning, he can get another job in the same position and do the same thing to other people," Pete said. "It's wrong, and I feel as being nothing was done to him, knowing if he will do it to somebody else. I feel as if he should have taken or they should have taken responsibility for what he did, his wrongdoing."

Pete says her son was treated like an animal and believes now-former Captain Lafleur should have been fired and charged before being able to resign.

"I would like for them to pay the consequences because the same way it happened to him. You never know when it's going to the next," she added.

A spokesperson for Louisiana State Police tells News 10 they are still actively investigating the inmate abuse and videos taken at the Evangeline Parish jail. Pete says she's thankful police are still looking into the case and looking for justice.

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