A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department custody assistant is scheduled to be sentenced July 7 for his no contest plea to forcing a female inmate to engage in sex acts at the sheriff’s Lancaster Station.
Daniel Joseph Everts pleaded no contest to one felony count each of forcible oral copulation, oral copulation under color of authority and sexual activity with a detained inmate, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The prosecution will seek an eight-year prison sentence for the 30-year-old Everts. He will be required to register as a sex offender for 20 years under state law, prosecutors said.
The plea was entered Friday during a pretrial hearing at the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles, over an objection from the prosecution, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The crimes Everts was charged with occurred in June 2019.
“What happened to the victim in this case is unconscionable, and our office will not tolerate such egregious abuses of authority,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. “A member of law enforcement who commits sex crimes against an inmate in their custody deserves to be imprisoned.
“Our prosecutors will vigorously argue for the maximum sentence in state prison.”
The Sheriff’s Information Bureau released the following statement Saturday:
“The Department was notified of a complaint involving an individual in our custody at the Lancaster station jail. We immediately initiated an internal criminal investigation into the allegations and the employee was relieved of duty as of June 20, 2019. The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on July 8, 2019 for filing consideration.
“We have zero tolerance for any Department personnel involved in criminal conduct or actions that violate the rights of individuals in our custody. Upholding the safety, dignity, and rights of all individuals is paramount, and we are committed to holding all employees accountable to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.”