A former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department custody assistant has entered a plea of no contest to charges of sexually assaulting an inmate, marking a grievous abuse of power within the law enforcement system. Daniel Joseph Everts, the ex-custody assistant at the Lancaster station, faces significant prison time for his actions after his plea on four charges, including a felony count of sexual activity with a detained inmate, CBS News Los Angeles reported.
"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 stated. The district attorney's office strongly objected to Everts' no-contest plea and is pushing for the maximum sentence of eight years in state prison for the crimes as reported by a press release from the District Attorney’s Office.
The specific charges against Everts include one felony count of forcible oral copulation, one count of oral copulation under color of authority, and the mentioned count of sexual activity with a detained prisoner, as per details from the District Attorney's press release. Evert's actions have also led to a mandatory requirement for him to register as a sex offender for 20 years post-conviction, highlighting the case's long-term repercussions for the involved parties and broader implications for societal trust in law enforcement officials.
The sentencing is set for July 7 during which Everts' fate will be decided at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
