A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee was charged with over 30 counts of sex related offenses stemming from an internal criminal investigation. The case involving Mr. Sean Essex was fully investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and was presented to the District Attorney’s Office.
Today, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office – Sex Crimes Division and Justice System Integrity Division, charged Mr. Essex with over 30 counts of sex-related offenses involving minor children. It was alleged Mr. Essex committed lewd and lascivious acts with minor victims and forced one of the victims to orally copulate him. Also alleged, was a sex-related offense involving a minor in 2006.
In 2018, Mr. Essex was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Internal Affairs while assigned to Training Bureau. After a criminal and internal investigation, Mr. Essex was terminated. The Civil Service Commission, which is independent of the Sheriff’s Department, overturned the Sheriff’s Department termination and the Sheriff’s Department was ordered to reinstate Mr. Essex. The Civil Service Commission, over the objections of the Sheriff’s Department, ordered him returned to his assignment at Training Bureau.
Mr. Sean Essex does not reflect the values of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or those of the dedicated men and women in law enforcement who proudly serve our communities each day. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department expects all of its personnel to hold themselves to the highest ethical, moral, and professional standards at all times. Department members who engage in misconduct, especially criminal misconduct that preys on a vulnerable population, will not be tolerated and will be investigated and fully prosecuted. Society expects peace officers to hold themselves to the highest moral and ethical standards, as does the Sheriff.
Currently, Mr. Sean Essex is relieved of duty and the Department is in the process of removing his pay.
Forwarded by:
Deputy Michael Chen
Sheriff's Information Bureau
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
211 West Temple Street
Los Angeles California 90012
http://www.lasd.org
213-229-1700
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Alex Villanueva, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
