Deputies claim ‘law-enforcement gang’ inside TCSO

A federal lawsuit pending in US District Court claims a “law-enforcement gang” composed of sworn deputies is operating within the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

The accusation stems from what plaintiffs – all current and former TCSO deputies – allege is a widespread conspiracy. County leaders, they claim, punish law enforcement officers who speak out against what they describe as systematic misconduct, discrimination and unsafe practices on the part of fellow deputies.

Further, plaintiffs in the case claim Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and other ranking TCSO leadership made inappropriate sexual advances on fellow officers. Those officers and other supervisors then allegedly conspired to retaliate against their victims and colleagues who supported them. The accusations come from five current and former TCSO deputies – all veteran officers with years of service – who say they were targeted for retaliation because they made their concerns public.

Plaintiffs Remain Employed by TCSO

The plaintiffs in this case, Jose Villasenor, Claudia Rivera, Ruthimay Jordan Frick, Vanidee Quinonez, and Denise Ramirez, are all described as former or current employees of the TCSO. All appear to be currently employed as deputies, with the exception of Quinonez.

Quinonez, a five-year veteran of the TCSO, was allegedly “driven out of law enforcement” in December 2023, and Rivera and Ramirez are both currently on leave. Villasenor – the most senior deputy among the plaintiffs, with 14 years of service – is described in the complaint as being ordered to return to active duty in October 2024.

Boudreaux is listed foremost among the defendants, as are Assistant Sheriff Joe Torres, and former Assistant Sheriff Mark Gist. A long list of other ranking officers are also included: Capt. Harald Liles, Lt. Jesse Cox, Lt. Cory Jones, Lt. Buddy Hirayama, Lt. Javier Martinez, Lt. Megan Pinheiro, Sgt. Marco Martinez, Sgt. Michael Martins, Sgt. Gilbert Rodriguez, and Sgt. Santos Salgado. Tulare County is also a defendant.

All the individuals involved are accused of either partaking in inappropriate and harassing sexual conduct, or being aware of the conduct and failing to address it.

Five TCSO Officers Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Of the officers listed as defendants in the case, four are accused of direct sexual misconduct. A fifth deputy not listed among the defendants – Sgt. Anthony Alvarez – is also implicated.

According to the complaint, Boudreaux behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner with Deputy Rivera even before she joined the TCSO. The two met during a union-sponsored picnic in April 2016.

“During the event, Boudreaux exhibited concerning behavior, including repeatedly staring at her chest,” the complaint alleges. “Boudreaux encouraged Rivera to apply for an upcoming position. Shortly after, Boudreaux began texting Rivera updates about the hiring process.”

Once Rivera was hired as a deputy, there was an alleged increase of inappropriate behavior on Boudreaux’s part. He continued sending Rivera private messages through 2022, the complaint said.

“After joining, Boudreaux messaged Rivera on Instagram,” it said. “Boudreaux’s advances escalated following her split from her then-partner and during periods when she was single, including requests to meet privately at conferences and suggestions to stay in one-bedroom rentals during work trips.”

Boudreaux is also accused of inappropriate advances toward Detention Service Officer Patricia Ceballos. Ceballos is not involved in the case.

Sgt. Gil Rodriguez is said to have made inappropriate comments about Rivera’s body and touching her backside without her consent at a party in 2021.

Sgt. Marco Martinez is accused of kissing Deputy Frick without her consent, and Sgt. Michael Martins is accused of making unwelcome sexual comments to Frick in front of coworkers. Martins is also said to have shared an “inappropriate” photo of a female staff member to other officers while on duty.

Similarly, Alvarez is accused of sharing a sexually explicit video of a female staff member with a fellow TCSO deputy.

Boudreaux Issues Statement Denying Allegations

In response to a request for comment on the case, the TCSO issued the following statement from Boudreaux:

As the Sheriff of Tulare County, I take all claims of harassment or discrimination seriously and understand how they may impact those involved. That is why each claim of harassment or discrimination is sent to the Human Resources and Development Director for review and investigation, with which I provide my full cooperation. While I believe the factual allegations stated in the complaint are misleading, I am confident that a thorough review of the facts will demonstrate that I adhere to my commitment to maintaining a respectful and professional environment for everyone.  

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office remains dedicated to serving our community with honor, and we will not be distracted from our mission. I am confident in the judicial process and will not be making further statements regarding this litigation.

Kevin Little, a Fresno-based attorney for the plaintiffs, did not respond to repeated requests for comments.

Alleged Misconduct Continued for Nine Years

According to the recounting of alleged misconduct described in the federal complaint, the inappropriate behavior began in 2016 with Boudreaux and Rivera at the union picnic, and during communications between the pair that followed. The alleged unwanted touching of Rivera’s body by Sgt. Rodriguez was five years later in 2021.

In January 2022, Sgt. Martins is said to have viewed the inappropriate photo of a staff member during work hours. The similar incident with Alvarez took place the following month. The subject of the sexually explicit video he shared was later revealed to be Deputy Frick. She would not learn about the video and that it had been “widely circulated” until June 2023.

Frick was demoted from sergeant to deputy in 2022, following an internal affairs investigation alleging inappropriate language. The investigation was allegedly spearheaded by Sgt. Martinez and Sgt. Martins, who are accused of previous inappropriate sexual advances toward her.

Also in 2022, Deputy Quinonez, who was pregnant, experienced a miscarriage after being forced to respond to a fight among prisoners. She claims she was also denied appropriate accommodations by her supervisor during a subsequent pregnancy.

Also during this time, Boudreaux’s alleged advances toward Rivera became more persistent, including text messages urging Rivera to meet for coffee and repeated requests for photos.

Whistleblower Retaliation at Center of Lawsuit

All five plaintiffs in the case claim to have had similar experiences of negative consequences when reporting misconduct, discrimination or unsafe practices within the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, and this appears to be the basis for the claim a “law-enforcement gang” is at work there.

The pattern of alleged mistreatment of TCSO employees who make formal complaints, the case alleges, shows coordinated action by those in leadership roles. The complaint describes the TCSO as having a “tremendous sexual discrimination problem” and “a significant issue with retaliation.” Complaints from the plaintiffs were supposedly mishandled at multiple levels, and the internal affairs investigations were allegedly often biased and retaliatory. This, plaintiffs claim, represents an organized effort to suppress dissent and protect wrongdoers.

The complaint alleges that staff who participate in, submit to, or tolerate the sexualized workplace environment at the TCSO, especially those who engage in sexual activity with supervisors or participate in inappropriate activities outside of work, receive preferential treatment, such as rapid advancement and preferable assignments.

The plaintiffs allege they engaged in constitutionally protected activity when they brought matters of public concern – such as gender discrimination, inappropriate sexual conduct, misconduct by law enforcement and safety issues – to the attention of their supervisors. Resulting retaliation, if it happened, violates both state and federal laws protecting employees, and the plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation, purging of their personnel files and restoration to their “deserved positions” within the TCSO.

Complaints Led to Demotions, Harassment of Whistleblowers

Concerted efforts by TCSO leadership to purge the plaintiffs from the department appear to have ramped up significantly in 2023.

From March to June of that year, plaintiff Jose Villasenor filed repeated complaints about unsafe practices within the TCSO’s detentions division, including the mishandling of fentanyl. During this period, Villasenior reapplied for his position as a detention detective and was not selected.

In April 2023 , Villasenor received an “expectations” email from Lt. Cory Jones that he described as “intimidating” and “creating a hostile work environment.” Then in August 2023, Villasenor received a low-performance appraisal he said was inconsistent with previous performance evaluations and was retaliatory. The same month, Rivera filed a harassment complaint against Rodriguez, citing his inappropriate conduct. Shortly after, Rivera received a low-performance appraisal and was denied a position in the Strategic Response Unit.

It was also during this time Frick learned sexually explicit images or videos of her were being shared by fellow deputies. In October, Frick took stress leave due to the circulation of the photos or videos, and the apparent lack of investigation by supervisors, including Assistant Sheriff Mark Gist.

In late August 2023, Detention Service Officer Patricia Ceballos disclosed to Villasenor allegations of inappropriate advances by Sheriff Boudreaux. One month later, in September, Villasenor reported Ceballos’ allegations against Boudreaux to Assistant Sheriff Joe Torres. One week later, Villasenor filed his complaint alleging a law-enforcement gang exists within the ranks of the TCSO.

Swift Response to Law-Enforcement Gang Complaint

Villasenor’s complaint about a gang within the TCSO was filed on October 3, 2023. On October 12, Captain Duane Cornett informed Villasenor he was being placed on administrative leave.

Villasenor believes his removal was initiated by Assistant Sheriff Torres, with the approval of Sheriff Boudreaux. During the forced leave, Villasenor said he discovered his IA investigation had been stalled for months, leaving its allegations unresolved. Villasenor, the suit claims, was “isolated further.” He became unable to file additional complaints when Lt Jesse Cox issued a directive on February 9, 2024. The directive prohibited Villasenor from further contacting the Tulare County Personnel Office.

Also in October 2023, Rivera received an AI investigation notice stemming from remarks she allegedly made about a fellow female deputy. Two months earlier, Rivera filed a complaint about the allegedly sexualized contact between the female deputy and Sgt. Rodriguez, who Rivera had previously accused of sexual assault. As a result, Rivera was issued a “memorandum of counseling” in June 2024.

In December of 2023, Quinonez resigned from the TCSO due to alleged systematic discrimination and lack of accommodations for her pregnancies and childcare requirements.

Plaintiff Deputy Denise Ramirez is currently on medical leave and reportedly struggling financially. Her medical issues stem from an inappropriate work assignment, she said. In March 2023, Ramirez was transferred from the transport unit to a jail post by Lt Buddy Hirayama and Lt Jones. The move allegedly exacerbated Ramirez’s medical condition, leading to her leave of absence three months after the transfer.

Villasenor was ordered to return to duty in October, and complaints against his fellow officers remain unresolved. Villasenor is now on court security duty, and he claims the harassment against him is ongoing.

TCSO is a Toxic Workplace, Suit Says

According to the federal complaint, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is “a highly and inappropriately sexualized workplace.” The supposedly institutionalized harassment is targeted at all employees – both male and female – who formally object to the widespread misconduct.

Their jobs, reputations and livelihoods are all threatened, the suit claims.

“For staff who object to the inappropriate workplace conditions, which include running sexually explicit commentary, overt sexual gestures, circulation of sexual materials, and uninvited sexual advances ranging from inappropriate glares, to touching, to implicit and explicit requests for unwanted sexual activity, their careers suffer,” the complaint said. “Objecting staff are passed over for preferable assignments and promotions, given the most arduous and undesirable tasks, go unrecognized for their accomplishments and are generally denied the benefits of equal and fair employment.”

Going along with the harassing atmosphere, on the other hand, is a fast track to promotion, the plaintiffs allege.

“Contrarily, for staff who willingly participate in, submit to, or at least feign tolerance with the sexualized workplace environment, and particularly those who participate in inappropriate department activities outside or work or engage in sexual activity with their supervisors, they receive preferential treatment, which can include shockingly rapid advancement and more preferable assignments normally given to longer tenured personnel,” the suit said.

The initial scheduling conference for the case – originally set for February 20 – has been rescheduled to 9:45 a.m. on Friday, June 6. Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto will preside.