Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell announced last year that a deputy had been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two female inmates. The deputy was charged Feb. 21. (Associated Press)
A veteran Los Angeles sheriff's deputy was charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting six female inmates at the Century Regional Detention Facility last year, prosecutors said.
In one incident, Giancarlo Scotti, 31, allegedly ordered two female inmates to perform oral sex on him, before having sex with them in the showers, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The assaults occurred between March and September of last year, prosecutors said. Scotti, a 10-year veteran, was first arrested in September shortly after an inmate reported him, then posted bail.
He was arrested again Wednesday, with prosecutors seeking him held on $400,000 bail. Scotti is accused of six felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of sexual activity with a detainee in a detention facility, the Times reported.
The deputy's attorney told the Times that Scotti "never sexually assaulted anybody."
Scotti faces approximately seven years in prison if convicted.
"How could one male guard exploit so many women and not be caught in the act?"
At least two inmates filed a lawsuit related to his conduct in November, the Times reported.
"Inmates in jail are under constant surveillance -- cameras are everywhere -- how could one male guard exploit so many women and not be caught in the act?" Justin Sterling, an attorney representing one of Scotti's alleged victims, said in a statement.
"Our clients desperately want justice," Sterling added. "Holding Deputy Scotti criminally responsible for his actions is one major step in that direction."
In a news conference last year announcing Scotti's arrest, Sheriff Jim McDonnell said there were no indications that other officers were involved.
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