BAKERSFIELD, CA - Authorities arrested a Kern County Sheriff's deputy Monday for groping a handcuffed woman during a burglary investigation. Sheriff Donny Youngblood said it happened in Tehachapi two weeks ago.
Youngblood says 26-year-old Gabriel Lopez had only been patrolling on his own for a couple of weeks, when a woman came forward saying she had been inappropriately touched.
"This is a criminal who conducted criminal activity," said Sheriff Youngblood of Lopez.
According to the Kern County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Lopez and another deputy visited a Tehachapi house as part of a burglary and narcotics investigation around 11 p.m. on March 25th.
"While they were there she was handcuffed," said Youngblood. "She was one of the people in the house."
The department said a male in the house was arrested. According to the Kern County Sheriff's Department, one of the deputies then went outside to pull around his car that was strategically parked around the block.
"While he was gone, the other deputy took the female subject into a room and conducted a search, of which some was under the clothing which was inappropriate," said Sheriff Youngblood.
According to court documents, that wasn't the only search. The probable cause statement says "after the investigation concluded...Lopez returned...and ordered the victim to...take off her clothing and bend over at the waist." The document says then he "used his hand to view her" private parts. The probable cause statement also says "Lopez ordered the victim to continue with the body cavity search after refusing the victim's request to cover up with a towel."
"He was well aware that what he did was criminal activity," said Sheriff Youngblood, who said a male deputy can only search a female if he suspects she has a weapon.
"At this point, we have no indication the other deputy was implicated in this in any way," said Youngblood.
According to court document,s Lopez "admitted to touching the victim...and compelling the victim to submit to the body cavity search."
"This is no reflection on the other 1,200 employees that work here," said Youngblood. "This is one deputy sheriff who conducted criminal activity and is going to pay, hopefully, a heavy price."
Deputy Lopez is charged with two felonies, including assault by a public officer and false imprisonment and a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery.
He is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.