A Southern California police officer is facing multiple felony charges amid allegations of sexual assault on victims while on and off duty, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office announced. The officer, Juan Pesina, 31, of Menifee, was apprehended following accusations he sexually assaulted a victim during a professional call, and investigations uncovered several more such incidents in Riverside County between the years 2023 and 2024.
On July 22, after receiving a complaint, Menifee Police Department initiated an internal investigation that identified Pesina as the suspect and requested a follow-up from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department to avoid any partiality, this turned the initial suspicion into findings that put Pesina at the center of a troubling storyline spanning multiple years and multiple victims, authorities reached out to the community with the belief that there might be more individuals who have not yet come forward. According to a statement received by KTLA, a Menifee Police Department spokesperson emphasized their stance on transparency and integrity by saying, "The Menifee Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement."
An independent inquiry was subsequently conducted, culminating in Pesina's arrest on August 12 at the Southwest Justice Center on Auld Road, Murrieta, without incident. Investigators served a search warrant at his residence and workplace, where they found additional evidence for the allegations. Pesina now sits in the Cois Byrd Detention Center, facing charges of rape, sodomy, and forced oral copulation.
The Riverside Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit is still looking into the matter and has reached out to the public for assistance. Anyone with information is urged to contact Master Investigator J. Andrade at (951) 955–1701.
