Former Orange County deputy pleads guilty in sexual assault of female inmates, faces no jail time

"A former Orange County sheriff's deputy arrested in 2022 on suspicion of sexually assaulting two female inmates will face no jail time after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor charges Wednesday. Arcadio Rodriguez is required to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years and is under a one-year formal probation, according to the Orange County district attorney's office. The Stanton resident was sentenced to 364 days of time already served under home confinement."

""Inmates are completely dependent on sheriff's deputies and other jail staff for everything from food and medication to clothing," Dist. Atty. Todd Spizer said in a statement. "These women were awaiting trial and had no way of escaping a predator who literally held the keys to their captivity and ordered them to perform at his every whim." A representative for Rodriguez could not be reached. Rodriguez was charged with one count of sexual battery, one count of a detention facility employee engaging in sexual activity with a confined consenting adult and one count of possession of a cellphone in a correctional facility. All three were misdemeanors."

"Spitzer noted that California law only allows prosecutors to charge a misdemeanor because the assault was over the clothes and not skin-to-skin. Spitzer said he was "aggressively seeking a change" in state law for harsher penalties. Rodriguez is accused of touching two female inmates over their clothes and showing them pornographic videos while he worke"

Arcadio Rodriguez, a former Orange County sheriff's deputy arrested in 2022 on suspicion of sexually assaulting two female inmates, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges and will not serve additional jail time. He received credit for 364 days of home confinement, was placed on one year of formal probation, and must register as a sex offender for at least ten years. Charges included sexual battery, a detention facility employee engaging in sexual activity with a confined consenting adult, and possession of a cellphone in a correctional facility. Prosecutors noted state law limited charges because contact occurred over clothing and are seeking legislative change.

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