Ex-deputy sentenced to prison for abusing inmate while on duty in Central California
A former deputy with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office was sentenced to seven years in prison for dragging an inmate by her hair and throwing her into another jail cell in what the judge called a callous and "unreasonable" use of force.
U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr. said during the Thursday sentencing hearing for Joshua Fischer, 42, that he showed a "level of callousness" and "disdain" towards the woman, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
He was fired from the agency before being charged, prosecutors said. As part of a plea deal, he will not try working as a law enforcement officer at any point in the future.
On Nov. 18, 2018, he instructed the inmate to get out of her cell and she did. Federal prosecutors said she was shirtless at the time, and when Fischer told her to then go into another cell, they began arguing. At that point, she turned around and crossed her arms across her chest. Then she started going back into her original cell.
"Fischer forcibly grabbed the victim by her hair and pulled her to the ground," reads a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office. "He then dragged the victim across the floor by her hair several feet."
"Fischer then flung the victim, again by her hair, into an adjacent cell," the statement continues.
Once the former deputy shut her cell door, the woman huddled up into a corner of the cell.
Afterwards, Fischer wrote up a report about what happened and saved it under the title: "11-18-18 [victim's last name] what a drag." He saved the report on a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office computer.
On April 2, more than five years later, Fischer pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Fischer admitted his use of force was unreasonable and unnecessary in a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors. That deal also includes Fischer agreeing to not seek another job as a law enforcement officer.
The FBI investigated the incident along with the sheriff's office.