Former SLO County deputy dragged jail inmate by her hair. He’s going to prison for abuse
A former San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office deputy was sentenced Wednesday to seven months in federal prison for abusing a county jail inmate, according to a Department of Justice news release.
Joshua Fischer, 42, of Grover Beach, worked at the SLO County Jail for about a year from January 2017 to December 2018
While on duty Nov. 18, 2018, he dragged an inmate several feet on the ground by her hair and then threw her into a jail cell, according to the release.
The incident began when Fischer instructed a shirtless female inmate to exit her jail cell and enter an adjacent cell.
After arguing with Fischer, the woman turned around, crossed her arms across her chest and started to re-enter her original cell against Fischer’s instructions.
That was when Fischer forcibly grabbed the victim by her hair and pulled her to the ground, the release said.
He dragged her several feet across the floor by her hair and flung her, again by her hair, into a neighboring cell.
Fischer left the woman huddling in the corner of the cell after he closed the door, according to the release. He later wrote up a report of the incident and titled it “11-18-18 (woman’s last name) what a drag” on a Sheriff’s Office computer, the release said.
At a hearing Wednesday, Judge André Birotte Jr. said Fischer used “unreasonable” force and showed a “level of callousness” and “disdain” toward the victim, the release said.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case.
Fischer plead guilty April 2 to a misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law and agreed to not seek future employment in law enforcement, according to the release.
In his plea agreement, he also admitted to an unreasonable and unnecessary use of force and said he acted willfully, intending to deprive the victim of her rights, the release said.
The Sheriff’s Office fired Fischer before any charges were filed against him and helped in the FBI investigation of the incident, the release said.
