A Ventura County Sheriff’s deputy is facing sexual misconduct charges involving a county jail inmate.
Ventura County prosecutors say Deputy Leonard Lopez engaged in sexual conduct with a female inmate house in an area of the jail under his control. They say the 49-year-old deputy took part in the activity in September of 2019.
Lopez is facing two charges, including engaging in sexual activity with an inmate, and entering the cell of an opposite sex inmate without being accompanied by a same sex staff member.
The inmate reported the activity, prompting the Sheriff’s Office to launch an internal investigation. Under state law, a jail inmate can’t legally consent to sexual activity with custodial staff members
