According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a San Diego County sheriff's deputy, Ricky Garcia, 37, was arrested on a Tuesday in November 2026 after being accused of a sexual relationship with an inmate at the Los Colinas jail in Santee. Garcia was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on multiple charges of PC 289.6(a) — sexual activity with a person confined in a detention facility — and placed on unpaid leave. Investigators said a sheriff's employee raised concerns about an inappropriate relationship, and the Sheriff's Sexual Assault Unit took over the investigation. Garcia, a Sheriff's Office employee since March 2018, was placed on administrative assignment, removed from overseeing inmates and put on unpaid leave. Sheriff Kelly Martinez called the allegations abhorrent and said the office would not tolerate criminal behavior in its ranks.
Why it matters
People in custody are dependent on staff, and the Sheriff's Office said detainees' rights must be protected. The allegations remain unproven, and Garcia faces a criminal complaint.
Charged: Prosecutors filed criminal charges. A charge is not proof of guilt, and the person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.