OC Sheriff's Deputy Arrested, Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 2 Inmates

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — An Orange County sheriff's deputy was arrested after he was accused of sexually assaulting two women inside an Orange County jail, authorities said.

Aracadio Rodriguez, 30, was arrested Friday and booked into the Santa Ana Jail.

He is accused of showing two women pornographic images and groping them while they were in custody at the The Lacy Facility in Orange, according to a release from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

"The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are inexcusable, especially for a person who swore to serve and protect our community," Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said in a statement. "One of our most important duties is to provide for the care and wellbeing of the people in our jails. Any betrayal of that responsibility is not indicative of the environment in our jails, or reflective of the hard work of hundreds of deputies and professional staff in custody operations every day."

The department was made aware of the incidents on Aug. 8 when jail staff reported an instance of misconduct, officials said. Authorities launched an investigation and placed the deputy on administrative leave Aug. 9.

"He is alleged to have sexually assaulted the female inmates separately on multiple occasions by touching them in a sexual manner over their clothes and showing them pornographic videos while in their housing locations," officials wrote in the release.

The assaults are suspected to have began in May.

He was booked on felony sexual activity between a peace officer and inmate in a jail facility and misdemeanor charges of assault under the color of authority and possession of a cell phone in a custody facility, authorities said.

“I want our community to know how seriously I take these allegations and that I will hold accountable any deputy who chooses to be disloyal to their responsibilities as a peace officer through a swift process," Barns said. "I have notified the Office of Independent Review and provided them access to monitor and review this investigation to ensure objectivity and thoroughness."

The case was forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, officials said.