Former Deputy Leonard Lopez was found guilty of engaging in sexual misconduct with a female inmate in 2019. Assigned to the special housing unit of the county jail, Lopez entered the inmate’s cell and engaged in sexual acts. The inmate reported the incident to jail staff, leading to an internal investigation. Lopez was terminated from the sheriff’s office in September 2020. In May 2021, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges, including being a peace officer engaged in a sexual act with an inmate and entering a cell occupied by an inmate of the opposite sex. He faced up to 180 days in prison and a year of probation. The inmate also filed a federal civil lawsuit against Lopez and the county, alleging civil rights violations. ([ktla.com](https://ktla.com/news/local-news/former-ventura-county-sheriffs-deputy-found-guilty-of-sexual-misconduct-with-inmate/?utm_source=openai))
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