Patrick Morseman

RICHMOND, California — A deputy with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office was arrested Wednesday evening after it was revealed he was having a sexual relationship with two county jail inmates, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Patrick Morseman, 26, a deputy employed at the West Contra Costa jail, is suspected of violating a state law that prohibits jail employees from having sex with inmates.

The two victims say they were raped, according to their attorney Joseph LaCome.

“Their feeling was that they had to go along with it, because of the consequences if they didn’t,” LaCome said.

LaCome said his clients would talk with Morseman and he would let the inmates stay in the same room. On Friday evening, Morseman came back from doing his rounds and forced both women to perform oral sex on him. Morseman then allegedly had vaginal sex with one inmate.

DNA evidence was retained in the form of a napkin by the women.

Later, Morseman allegedly came back and told the women he would give them money if they didn’t tell anyone. Investigators are looking into money that was placed in both women’s accounts and whether that was related to the case.

On Tuesday, the women were taken to the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center for the administration of a rape kit. They were checked, given antibiotics and were transferred to county jail in Martinez.

LaCome said they are in worse conditions and are being treated worse now that they’ve told their story.

“They were supposed to get follow-up treatment. They are in worse shape now because they cooperated, than they would have been if they said nothing,” LaCome said.

Morseman has not yet been charged with a crime, but county prosecutors plan to review the case against him and decide whether to file charges within days.

“The actions of this one deputy are criminal, offensive and do not reflect on the good work of the other one-thousand employees of the Office of the Sheriff,” Sheriff David Livingston said in a news release. “We will work closely with the District Attorney to see the deputy is held accountable and make every effort to regain the public trust we work so hard to earn.”

Livingston said Morseman was arrested within 24 hours of the allegations coming to light, and that his office has begun the process of firing Morseman.

Morseman, a deputy since 2015, was paid a total of $157,090.26 in salary and benefits in 2016. He worked as a patrol deputy before being employed at the jail. He was assigned to the West County Detention Facility in January of 2018.

The sheriff’s news release says investigators determined Morseman had consensual sex with two female inmates. He was arrested on suspicion of violating a law passed in 2012, which says jail employees who have consensual sex with confined inmates are guilty of a felony, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $10,000

Morseman posted $100,000 bail and was released from custody after his Wednesday evening arrest, police said.

Source: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/04/05/deputy-arrested-over-alleged-sex-with-west-contra-costa-inmate/