5-Year Prison Sentence Too Short For Ex-RivCo Deputy: Prosecutors

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A former Riverside County sheriff's correctional deputy who engaged in sex acts with female inmates on home detention as part of an extortion scheme is slated to be sentenced next week to five years in state prison — a term that prosecutors intend to argue is too short.

Christian Phillip Heidecker, 32, of Menifee pleaded guilty last week to four counts each of extortion, a public official seeking bribes and witness intimidation, as well as one count of a detention officer perpetrating a sexual assault.

Heidecker's plea was directly to Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez based on a defense motion, over the objections of prosecutors.

Hernandez indicated that he intended to impose a sentence of five years in state prison.

"Our office will be arguing at sentencing that the defendant's conduct merits a prison sentence greater than the court's indicated sentence," District Attorney's Office spokesman John Hall told City News Service.

The hearing is scheduled for March 7 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. All previous hearings had been at the Banning Justice Center.

Heidecker has been held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center since his arrest last September.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Steve Brosche, in August, investigators were tipped off to criminal behavior on the part of the defendant, who was then assigned to the Alternative Sentencing Program, working out of the Coordinated Custody Management Unit in Banning.

The program enables inmates to serve time on home confinement, in lieu of jail, wearing ankle monitors to track their whereabouts and ensure compliance with the terms of their sentences.

The ensuing investigation revealed that Heidecker had exploited his position of authority, targeting four female inmates, identified in court documents only by their initials — "A.A.," "A.R.," "K.P." and "O.C."

The deputy engaged in unspecified sexual activity with the women, capturing video and still images, according to the criminal complaint.

It was unclear what Heidecker told the inmates to gain their compliance.

The complaint stated that the defendant then tried to "extort money and other property (from the victims) by means of a wrongful use of force and fear ... (using) sexually explicit photographs and videos."

When it became evident that one or more of the victims was going to report him, Heidecker tried to prevent them from talking, possibly through intimidation, according to court papers.

He was arrested without incident in Murrieta on Sept. 15.

The defendant resigned at the end of September, according to sheriff's officials.

He had been with the sheriff's department since April 2018.