Ex-deputy: Guards, inmates often have sex
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- It has become somewhat of a problem over the past couple months in Kern County. Two different detention deputies accused of having sexual relations with inmates.
The first, Deputy Margarita Young, has been charged with having sex with convicted murderer Timothy Rodriguez over a two-month period at the end of 2009.
Young and Rodriguez allegedly had sex at least five times in the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility. Both wrote love letters to one another about sexual acts and their undying love for one another.
The second deputy was charged mid-February. Anthony Lavis is accused of touching female inmates inappropriately, having them take naked pictures of themselves and stripping down to nothing, all in return for food and money.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood addressed the public about this recent string of sex in Lerdo jail on Feb. 11.
"It will not be tolerated by me or my staff. We will investigate and incarcerate any employee who goes down this road," said Youngblood.
Eyewitness News spoke with a former employee at Lerdo jail. She worked in the same area as the deputies accused of these sex crimes. She asked to keep her identity concealed.
"Its a sex thing," the former deputy said. "They look at the officers, and they figure if they can get one to bite, they can get something out of them."
The ex-deputy said these kinds of incidents happen a lot out at Lerdo jail. She said on top of the two public incidents, "there's probably another 20 right now that nobody knows about."
The sheriff's department said since it has been made aware of these incidents, it is planning on putting up more cameras and making changes so these kinds of things can be prevented.
"Understand that this facility is so large, if you have a supervisor that's on, they cant be at every place all the time," Youngblood said.
The first, Deputy Margarita Young, has been charged with having sex with convicted murderer Timothy Rodriguez over a two-month period at the end of 2009.
Young and Rodriguez allegedly had sex at least five times in the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility. Both wrote love letters to one another about sexual acts and their undying love for one another.
The second deputy was charged mid-February. Anthony Lavis is accused of touching female inmates inappropriately, having them take naked pictures of themselves and stripping down to nothing, all in return for food and money.
Sheriff Donny Youngblood addressed the public about this recent string of sex in Lerdo jail on Feb. 11.
"It will not be tolerated by me or my staff. We will investigate and incarcerate any employee who goes down this road," said Youngblood.
Eyewitness News spoke with a former employee at Lerdo jail. She worked in the same area as the deputies accused of these sex crimes. She asked to keep her identity concealed.
"Its a sex thing," the former deputy said. "They look at the officers, and they figure if they can get one to bite, they can get something out of them."
The ex-deputy said these kinds of incidents happen a lot out at Lerdo jail. She said on top of the two public incidents, "there's probably another 20 right now that nobody knows about."
The sheriff's department said since it has been made aware of these incidents, it is planning on putting up more cameras and making changes so these kinds of things can be prevented.
"Understand that this facility is so large, if you have a supervisor that's on, they cant be at every place all the time," Youngblood said.
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