A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy was convicted Thursday of sexually assaulting six female inmates while working at the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood two years ago.
Giancarlo Scotti pleaded no contest to six felony counts of sexual activity with a detainee in a detention facility and two misdemeanor counts of sexual activity with a detainee in a detention facility, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a written statement. The plea took place on his 33rd birthday.
Scotti, who has been free on bail pending the legal process, is expected to be sentenced to two years in state prison when he returns to Los Angeles County Superior Court for sentencing on Sept. 26, prosecutors said. If Scotti fails to show up for his sentencing hearing, he could face the maximum sentence of seven years and four months in prison.
The charged crimes took place in September and August of 2017, authorities said. The victims were six female inmates, ranging in age from 24 to 42.
“In one instance, Scotti ordered two cellmates to perform oral sex on him. He later took the women to a shower area where he had unlawful sexual intercourse with both of them,” the D.A.’s office statement said. “In another incident, the defendant had a female inmate perform oral sex on him while she was in her cell.”
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau first arrested Scotti in September of 2017 on suspicion of sexually assaulting two inmates, according to sheriff’s officials and Los Angeles County booking records. He was released the following day after posting bail.
Fellow deputies again arrested Scotti in February of 2018 after additional victims came forward. He again posted bond and was released from custody the following day.
At the time of his arrest, the sheriff said he expected Scotti to face charges of rape under color of authority and oral copulation under color of authority. Prosecutors ultimately filed lesser charges of “sexual activity with a detainee in a detention facility,” which is defined in the California Penal Code as sex between a public officer and a “consenting adult” and carries a maximum sentence of one year behind bars per count. The conviction does not require registration as a sex offender.
Under California law, rape is punishable by anywhere from three to eight years in prison per count.
The ex-deputy’s plea was “open,” meaning that it did not involve a negotiated sentence with the prosecution, officials said.
Scotti, a 10-year veteran of the department, was placed on administrative leave following his initial arrest, then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell said at the time.
Prosecutors described Scotti Thursday as a former deputy. It was not clear when his employment with the sheriff’s department ended.
