Deputy suspected of selling meth
Humboldt County corrections deputy Ricardo Tranquilino Aguirre, 27, was arrested on Tuesday for smuggling drugs into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Aguirre was taken into custody inside the correctional facility for “being in possession of a controlled substance while armed, smuggling contraband into a jail, possession of a controlled substance for sales and transportation/sale of a controlled substance,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said an investigation was launched into Aguirre after a witness provided the sheriff’s office “with information regarding Aguirre’s activities.” Since his arrest, the sheriff’s office has uncovered evidence suggesting Aguirre has been smuggling drugs into the facility for months.
“Evidence points to him smuggling methamphetamine and opioids into the correctional facility,” Honsal told the Times-Standard on Thursday.
When asked if Aguirre had a personal relationship with the inmates involved, Honsal said the investigation is ongoing.
“(Aguirre) was the lone correctional deputy that was providing contraband to inmates,” Honsal said, confirming more than one inmate was involved. “Aguirre had assistance from persons outside the jail that was facilitating the transactions.”
According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, Aguirre resigned on Wednesday after serving only a year and a half as a correctional deputy.
“Correctional Deputies are hired to protect and serve those that are in the care and custody of the Correctional Facility,” Honsal said in a prepared statement. “As members of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards of conduct. Ricardo Aguirre’s criminal and disgraceful conduct is the antithesis of the professional standards, ethics and organizational values of the Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Aguirre’s actions do not represent the principles that are the foundation of our organization. He will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and I will be working with the District Attorney to ensure this case is fully prosecuted.”
Honsal told the TimesStandard the sheriff’s office will “continue to work on training and supervision” to prevent similar incidents.
“No matter what line of work, employees can put themselves in compromising positions that break policy or the law. I am here to firmly state that if one of the sheriff’s office employees breaks the law, they will be held accountable,” Honsal said.
A similar incident occurred in 2009 when correctional officer Benjamin Jentry-Rakestraw was arrested for attempting to bring heroin, tobacco and other contraband into the Humboldt County jail, according to a Jul. 6, 2009 report from the TimesStandard.
The investigation into Aguirre is being referred to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Reached by email on Thursday afternoon, District Attorney Maggie Fleming said her office had “not yet received the reports regarding the investigation” and could not comment on the case.
“No matter what line of work, employees can put themselves in compromising positions that break policy or the law. I am here to firmly state that if one of the sheriff’s office employees breaks the law, they will be held accountable.” — William Honsal, Humboldt County Sheriff