A deputy with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is accused of transforming his duties into a sexual playground, having allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with a female inmate while on duty.
Ricky Garcia, 37, was taken into custody on Tuesday following an investigation that suggested he had multiple sexual interactions with an incarcerated woman at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility.
“Concerns were raised by a Sheriff’s employee regarding inappropriate behaviors occurring between a deputy and an incarcerated individual at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. The Sheriff’s Sexual Assault Unit promptly initiated an inquiry into the allegations,” reported the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
“During this period, the deputy was reassigned to administrative duties and relieved of any responsibilities involving supervision of inmates,” the agency added.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC 10, Garcia is accused of these sexual encounters occurring in June and July. He now faces five counts of felony charges.
Sheriff Kelly Martinez condemned the alleged misconduct as “abhorrent” and a betrayal of public trust.
“We will have zero tolerance for criminal actions among our ranks and will ensure that employees are held accountable for their conduct,” she stated.
Garcia joined the department in March 2018. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Vista Detention Facility.
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This incident is part of a troubling trend in California, where correctional officers have faced numerous accusations of sexually abusing female inmates.
In 2025, former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez, 57, was sentenced to 224 years in prison after being convicted of over 60 counts related to the sexual abuse of inmates at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla.
Rodriguez served as a guard at the women’s prison, where prosecutors accused him of preying on vulnerable women in his charge.
Moreover, in 2019, former San Diego sheriff’s deputy Richard Fischer was convicted of sexually assaulting 16 women while on duty.
Fischer faced 20 charges before pleading guilty to seven on the day his trial was set to commence.
