Four Los Angeles County detention services officers who were among 30 employees charged in a grand jury indictment last year following an investigation that detected cases of “youth-on-youth violence” at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey pleaded no contest Tuesday to a misdemeanor child endangerment charge.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen ordered Ramses Patron and Vanessa Wattanachinda-Jones to complete 40 hours of community service, along with use-of-force training.
Lenton Abram — whose attorney said he has moved to Texas and will not be working with children — was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, while Jessica Juarez-Serrano must perform 40 hours of community service, but has already undergone use-of-force training.
The judge noted that the case will be dismissed against the four within six months as long as they comply with the terms of the plea deal.
Defense attorney Tom Yu, representing Patron, told reporters outside court that his client — whom he said is on administrative leave — agreed to the plea because it will result in the case against him being dismissed later this year.
He noted that his client had “30-plus years of spotless record” with the probation department and worked as a director who had only been assigned to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall for less than a week when violence broke out that was quickly subdued.
Yu wrote in a court filing that “no evidence was presented to the grand jury that Patron willfully caused or permitted the children to be injured” or that he had “any knowledge that the fights were going to occur or that he had any involvement in setting up the fights.”
The case against 12 other detention service officers is still pending. I
Court records no longer indicate a case against 14 other detention services officers who were indicted.
The California Attorney General’s Office — which prosecuted the detention service officers — said in a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times that “some defendants were appropriately dismissed from the case based on the law as applied to their factual circumstances.”
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Probation Department said, “We are monitoring the court proceedings closely. In addition, our internal affairs unit has requested the investigative reports and supporting information from the California Department of Justice in order to appropriately evaluate whether any departmental administrative actions are warranted outside of court proceedings.
“As these matters move through the courts, it is important to note that county employees are entitled to due process,” the probation department added. “To the extent that charges are reduced or dismissed, employees may have the right to seek reinstatement or back pay. However, those determinations will need to be made based on a full administrative review of the facts and outcomes in each case.”
In a March 2025 statement, the Attorney General’s Office said the indictment stemmed from an investigation by the California Department of Justice after one of the so-called “gladiator fights” leaked in 2024.
According to Attorney General Rob Bonta, 69 fights were allowed to occur between youths housed at the facility between July and December 2023.
“Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care,” Bonta said in a statement last year shortly after the indictment was handed up. “Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite — overseeing `gladiator fights’ when they should have intervened. ”
Following the unsealing of the indictments, the LA County Probation Officers Union provided a statement underlining the rights of the accused.
“Every American is innocent until proven guilty,” said Stacy Ford, president of AFSCME Local 685. “Our members are entitled to this same presumption of innocence and deserve to be treated with fairness and due process, just as they provide to those in their custody. We do not condone any unlawful behavior, and we will do everything in our power to support our members as they navigate this difficult situation.”
She continued, “Our members have been working under extremely difficult conditions — understaffed and ill-equipped facilities that house individuals accused of murder, sexual assault, terrorism, and other serious crimes. Despite these challenges, our professional peace officers remain committed to maintaining the highest level of professionalism while upholding their sworn duties. We will continue to advocate for the safety, rights, and integrity of our members while ensuring that due process is upheld for all.”