Santa Barbara County jail employees sexually assaulted inmates, sheriff says

Two Santa Barbara County Jail employees have been arrested for alleged sexual assaults involving inmates.

The two men were arrested Friday morning after an investigation set in motion in August 2018 by an inmate’s report, according to Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Raquel Zick.

Since then, there has been an internal investigation of two employees, leading to a pair of separate criminal investigations.

“The investigations were for criminal activities that occurred around the same time with intertwined witnesses,” Zick said.

During the investigations, detectives identified an extensive list of possible witnesses and attempted to identify other potential victims, Zick said.

“This follow-up required interviews of numerous inmates, some of whom had been transferred to custody facilities throughout the state,” she added.

In September 2019, the investigations were handed over to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review.

The District Attorney’s Office filed charges Thursday, leading to arrest warrants being issued for each man.

Salvador Vargas, 34, of Santa Maria was arrested at his home Friday and was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of felony forcible oral copulation, and felony sexual activity with a person in custody.

Vargas 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, Gabriel Castro, 47, of Ventura, surrendered to detectives Friday at the Ventura County Jail and was booked on suspicion of felony forcible sexual penetration by a foreign object, and felony sexual activity with a person in custody.

Castro was hired in July 2002, and he worked as a custody deputy at the Main Jail.

Bail for each man was set at $100,000.

Both suspects have been on administrative leave since September 2018.

“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,” Zick added. “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 the investigations is asked to call the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division at 805.681.4150.