A former Anderson County corrections officer is facing charges after a female prisoner alleged he sexually assaulted her, prompting an investigation that uncovered further misconduct. David Antonio Berruquin, 28, was arrested and is accused of both bringing contraband into a penal institution and possessing child sex abuse material, authorities said Monday.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) began its inquiry on April 5, leading to Berruquin's subsequent arrest on April 13, as reported by WVLT. "Possession of a Telecommunications Device in a Penal Institution and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor" is the initial charges brought against the ex-corrections officer, WBIR detailed, with the investigation still ongoing.
The case came to light following a female prisoner's complaint that Berruquin assaulted her in her cell. According to WATE, Anderson County Sheriff Russell Barker noted, "I am very grateful to the employees at the Detention Facility who took an inmate’s complaint seriously." Barker added, "They worked quickly while performing a preliminary investigation and demonstrating our Department’s commitment to the highest standards."
Berruquin, who has been dismissed from his role at the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, was booked into the county jail and released the same day on a $100,000 bond. Further charges may be forthcoming, as District Attorney General Dave Clark underscored, "It's a somber day when we have to arrest one of our own, but it also demonstrates the conviction here that nobody is above the law," according to an interview with WBIR.
Berruquin is slated for arraignment on April 23, and according to Clark, the law enforcement community is committed to policing the behavior of officers as part of its oath to justice. In the wake of the arrest, both the TBI and the Clinton Police Department's SWAT team were also involved in executing a related search warrant at a Clinton address, as the probe continues into the former officer's misconduct.
