One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Two Deputies, One Civilian, Charged In Ride-Along Teenager Sex Scandal
Photo by Chuck "Caveman" Coker via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Two San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies have been charged with a variety of sexual crimes involving teenage participants of the ride-along "Explorer" program. On Friday, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office filed charges on against 31-year-old Nathan Gastineau, a former deputy accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl. He was charged with three counts of lewd acts upon a child and three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, according to KTLA.
27-year-old Jason Anguiano, who is not a Sheriff's deputy, was also arrested, just days after Gastineau in April, for allegedly having sex with the same 16-year-old girl. Charges were also filed against Anguiano on Friday. He is charged with two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse. Both men and are out of jail having posted $25,000 bail. Gastineau will be arraigned in San Bernardino Superior Court. on June 27, Anguiano will be arraigned June 28.
Gastineau was the first of two San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies to be accused within a two-week period of having sexual contact with underage "Explorers." 30-year-old Anthony Benjamin, a deputy in Victorville, was arrested in early May and "accused of conducting sex acts with a 17-year-old girl during ride-alongs in his patrol car." Benjamin was charged Thursday with two counts of oral copulation with a person under 18 and is out on bail. He will be arraigned July 6 in Victorville Superior Court.
The department's "Explorer" ride-along program has been suspended pending a review per San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops. Gastineau is no longer employed by the department. Benjamin is on paid administrative leave.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
