Anonymous
Salvador Vargas (left) and Gabriel Castro (right) [Photos: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office]
Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
This morning, Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested two employees for suspected crimes committed against inmates while they were in custody. The arrests stem from a lengthy investigation that began in August 2018, with a report from an inmate. In the months that followed, the Sheriff’s Office initiated an internal investigation of two employees that subsequently developed into two separate criminal investigations. The investigations were for criminal activities that occurred around the same time with intertwined witnesses.
The suspect in one case is 34-year-old Salvador Vargas of Santa Maria, who was hired in April 2018, as a Social Worker and was assigned to the Main Jail as a Discharge Planner. The suspect in the second case is 47-year-old Gabriel Castro of Ventura, who was hired in July 2002, and worked as a Custody Deputy at the Main Jail. Both suspects have been on administrative leave since September 2018.
During the investigations, detectives identified an extensive list of possible witnesses and attempted to identify additional potential victims. This follow-up required interviews of numerous inmates, some of whom had been transferred to custody facilities throughout the state. The investigations for both individuals were turned over to the Office of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney in September 2019, for their review. The District Attorney’s Office filed charges on February 20, 2020, and arrest warrants were issued on that day for both suspects.
Vargas was arrested at his home today and was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail on a warrant for forcible oral copulation (felony), and sexual activity with a person in custody (felony) with a bail amount of $100,000.
Castro surrendered to detectives today at the Ventura County Jail and was booked on a warrant for forcible sexual penetration by a foreign object (felony), and sexual activity with a person in custody (felony) with a bail amount of $100,000.
The Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to thoroughly investigating allegations of misconduct by employees and does not tolerate the victimization of inmates who are entrusted in our care. The alleged actions of these employees violate the Core Values of the Sheriff’s Office, in addition to the law, and are intolerable.
Anyone with any information relating to these investigations is asked to please contact the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division at (805) 681-4150.
How did it take so long? Really, now! It’s the SBSO we’re discussing. They never solve crimes in a timely manner, especially when it’s one of their own. What about the mug shot of the custody officer that got in the crash on the 154? Hmmmm
Ditto. That’s a mighty s-l-o-w investigation for such serious crimes. And a loong taxpayer-paid vacation. Disgusting abuse of power & breach of public trust.
Terrible behaviour indeed. One thing for sure is that these guys aren’t going to be eating Big Macs in prison, or those delicious criss-cut waffle fries from Chick-fil-A anytime soon!
No kidding! The one porker, sans glasses, appears to have eaten more than his fair share of the fast food. It’s going to be mac & cheese & beans & frank bits for a long time hopefull – WITHOUT FULL PAY!
Salvador Vargas: Taxpayers paid in 2018 $89,563 (Transparent California): Salvador Vargas Jr
SOCIAL SERVICES WORKER (2018)
Regular pay:$55,546.89
Overtime pay:$0.00
Other pay:$3,527.73
Total pay:$59,074.62
Benefits:$30,489.01
Total pay & benefits:$89,563.63
Gabriel Castro: Taxpayers paid $117,867 in 2018. (Transparent California) Gabriel Castro
CUSTODY DEPUTY S/DUTY (2018)
Regular pay:$57,473.68
Overtime pay:$2,620.82
Other pay:$3,040.71
Total pay:$63,135.21
Benefits:$54,732.55
Total pay & benefits:$117,867.76
When evaluating claims like this, you should consider the source, which is neither transparent, nor California.
“Transparent California” is just one of the many names used by the tax-exempt “free-market think tank” Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI). NPRI refuses to divulge its own funding sources, stating, “NPRI respects the privacy of our donors, which includes the amount of a donor’s gift”.
NPRI’s primary funding source, as determined by The Conservative Transparency Project, is Donors Capital Fund, a dark-money source of funding for conservative groups. Its donors also include The Cato Institute, co-founded by the Koch brothers, and organizations affiliated with the climate change denial movement.
NPRI spends 75% of its revenue on six-figure salaries and benefits. Its goal is to undermine support for employee unions nationwide, thereby decreasing salaries and increasing corporate profits.
FYI…the mac and cheese at Chick-fil-A is better than any I have ever had. We expected it to be like KFCs version…but it was more like my Grandnanner’s Gold Medal winning recipe!!! Sorry Grams…but it is truuuuUUUeeee…
Does that seem like a long time to be investigating these crimes?????
Plus, this:
“Both suspects have been on administrative leave since September 2018.”
Does that mean they have been getting paid and receiving benefits for the last year and a half while not working due to these allegations (which apparently have enough supporting evidence to merit criminal charges)?
“Both suspects have been on administrative leave since September 2018.” No doubt with pay and benefits. $$
When you are sentenced to do time in jail or prison you are there to do time not be some scum bags sex slave…The judge sentences you to time he or she doesn’t say “Your going to do a year and your going to be raped also.” I hope if these people get time in prison they get it in population more than likely they are in PC in county they will be in PC, or Protective Custody… anywhere else and they will get probation too and half to register to be a sex offender for life..I recall a case many years ago where 3 Custody Deputies transporting female inmates in a van raped them and got no time at all…All sex offenders ought to do time in State prisons so they can experience being hunted and stalked in the same way they hunted and stalked their victims before striking. If things were done the old way we would not have so much crime. But then no one would make any money……
Maybe the smug and entitled grin on Mr. Vargas face is due to the fact that he knows he won’t be doing the time. What a horrible situation.
I agree, how did it take 18 months to investigate this just to get to an arrest. Maybe the Sheriffs department should not be the ones to investigate the Sheriff’s department. It seems like a windfall to get 18 months of paid vacation while their pensions continue to grow with seniority. I often wonder if anyone really wants to finish these investigations as they do not like the negative publicity. They will probably serve less time ( if any) than the 18 months.
Transparent California, which is a privately funded website, uses data on file with the state treasurer’s office submitted by each government agency. Their value-added presents this public information in an easily searchable format. Thank them for bringing this public data to light, since it has been intentionally buried in the past. Recently Transparent California have also broken down the benefits into (1) pension obligations and (2) other benefits such health insurance premiums. Track this annual pension contribution amount since it is rapidly growing each year taking more and more out of each agency’s operating budgets, leaving less and less available for present benefits to non-employee residents and taxpayers. Transparent California provides an excellent public benefit.
Also, I used to work in a local law practice whose focus was to dismiss incompetent public school teachers. I guess every citizen (except law enforcement and social services, gov’t & non-profit, oh, and medical personnel, and the list just grows!) would be shocked to know what goes on in the world. Your world, the world your kids live in. For instance, when I mention “incompetent teachers,” you think of those you don’t like. No, we’re talking all the coaches and band leaders who have a new high school girlfriend every year; those who do drugs with kids; those usually male authority figures who groom young females in order to do or have them. This case is just another example. Don’t act all shocked. School employee cases also take a long time to document. The employees are put on leave, police are called if there’s enough evidence; if there’s need. Glad I know not of home /family cases. Didn’t happen to me or my closest, didn’t have to deal with them medically or legally. Please put your outrage energy into helping people. (I workded in legal field decades ago and not in this county, so don’t worry about what I say. Of course awareness has grown, things ARE better, due to grassroots organizing and real people, like #metoo. Just don’t act all surprised this crap occurs. If you think it doesn’t happen here and everywhere, please pull your head out of the sand!
Let’s all be real, we’ll forget about this case until the next time it comes up in the news and we can rail against our chosen targets, just like I’m more interested in violence against women, currently Brittany Smith in Alabama who’s visible, and LA’s misuse of the CA gang database — Yes, that’s for all you who supported a SB Gang Injunction. There is So. Much. Injustice. No Way to Get Ahead of It. ——————————-(insert paragraph breaks here lol) —————————————- Some further detail, they all say basically the same thing: (insert paragraph breaks here lol) ————–
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/two_santa_barbara_county_jail_workers_arrested_for_sex_charges_20200221 ———————————————————–
https://ktla.com/2020/02/21/deputy-social-worker-accused-of-sexual-assaults-on-inmates/ ————————————— https://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Santa-Barbara-jail-workers-held-for-inmate-sex-15075468.php
Whoever the County is using for the vetting and backgrounds should be fired.
Innocent until proven guilty…..but if found guilty they’re gonna be on the receiving end instead of the giving end.
When I worked for SB County I thought it would be my last job. And it was, but not liek I planned. I know that overall I was in great, extraordinary shape, due to my county benefits. Underpaid? Yes, by dollars by the hour. Abused by the public? Yes. By department personnel? Yes, colleagues and bosses. Did my direct colleague literally walk out? Yes. Did I quit? Yes, before he did. I gave notice. At one time, I hired my own attorney to review my defense work and accompany me at a Skelly hearing, after doing all my own prep. The union was USELESS when I went over my issues/complaints with them. There was a LONG long-term employee because of whom several people had quit. I heard he retired recently, that was always his goal. Great. He won. So did I, by salvaging my mental health. These “good jobs” are not always worth it!
Another symptom of incompetence and a lack of oversight at the top of the SBSO. If the Feds or state did a full investigation of the Sheriff’s office instead of these token internal investigations, the extent of the corruption and backward behavior would be baffling. Most people work in law enforcement with the best intentions but those only go so far in an organization that is poorly led, poorly trained, and isn’t accountable.
The people would be better served, if independent oversight of criminal acts within enforcement agencies was the norm and not exception.
To change the environment, change the leadership. I don’t understand why Bill Brown keeps getting elected, even after his decision on the mandatory evacuation zone for the mudslide.
Why is it that no one in county government has ever addressed the sheer negligence by both the OEM Director and the Sheriff when it comes to the debris flow evacuation???
DLINO: Salvador Vargas has SB County employment compensation records posted on Transparent California for 2016, 2017 and 2018. No data for 2019 posted yet.
Brown was just following the advice of his experts, one of whom is retired now, probably because of this. Luckily the County has immunity from lawsuits or they would be bankrupt now.