Monterey County deputy charged with forcible rape, sexual activity with confined adult
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said one of its deputies was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of forcible rape, five counts of sexual activity with a confined adult and one count of sexual battery.
The investigation started in October 2018 when Deputy Marlon Alverenga was arrested on several charges, including inappropriate sexual contact with a woman in the Monterey County Jail. After reviewing the case, the District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Alverenga at the time.
“There’s a loophole in the law that doesn’t quite cover… it wasn’t an illegal activity per se,” said Steve Bernal, the Monterey County sheriff.
Shortly after his arrest, Alverenga ended his employment at the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office said the arrest was not the end of the investigation. It said the investigation grew and led to interviews with multiple witnesses and potential victims in California and Mexico. The Investigations Division said it contacted many potential victims and witnesses.
On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Alverenga again and booked him into jail. The Sheriff’s Office said that because of the sensitive nature of the case, it is restricted in what it can say about the victims other than that there are numerous. The Sheriff’s Office said all of the potential victims were inmates while Alverenga was assigned as a deputy sheriff at the county jail.
“We know a lot of it occurred in the jail. He was contacting his victims in the jail and we know he remained in contact with them when he was off-duty and when they were released,” said Sheriff Bernal.
“As I said last year, we will arrest and pursue justice against anyone who so callously disregards our code of ethics,” said Sheriff Bernal. “And in this ongoing and exhaustive phase of this international investigation it should be clear we will stop at nothing to see that justice is served.”
The Sheriff’s Office said caring for people in the jail is its responsibility, and they are innocent until proven guilty. It said those people should not be subjected to any act that puts their health and safety at risk.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective arras Wilson at 831-759-7203 or Detective Sergeant Bryan Hoskins at 831-755-3773.
KION 2019
