Sheriff's deputy arrested on suspicion of sexual relationship with Las Colinas inmate

A San Diego County Sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of engaging in a sexual relationship with an incarcerated person, the Sheriff's Office announced.

Deputy Ricky Garcia was taken into custody Nov. 10 and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on multiple charges of Penal Code 289.6(a), sexual activity with a person confined in a detention facility. He was immediately placed on unpaid leave, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The investigation began after a Sheriff's employee reported concerns that inappropriate conduct might be occurring between a deputy and an incarcerated person at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee.

The Sheriff's Sexual Assault Unit investigated the allegations. During the investigation, Garcia was placed on administrative assignment and removed from any responsibility over incarcerated people, the Sheriff's Office said.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the case was turned over to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office for prosecution, and an arrest warrant was issued. A criminal complaint filed Tuesday charges Garcia with five felony counts, alleging the conduct took place in June and July, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Garcia was hired by the Sheriff's Office on March 2, 2018, and his most recent assignment was at the San Diego Central Jail.

"The allegations against Deputy Garcia are abhorrent and represent a violation of public trust," Sheriff Kelly Martinez said in a statement. "People in the custody of the Sheriff's Office are among the most vulnerable and their rights must be protected. We will not tolerate criminal behavior in our ranks and will hold employees accountable for their actions."

The Sheriff's Office said the case appears to be an isolated incident.

Under state law, it is a crime for a jail staff member to engage in sexual activity with an inmate, regardless of whether the acts were consensual.