Los Angeles County deputy charged with falsifying report about alleged assault on inmate

A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy accused of falsifying a report about her use of force when she pepper-sprayed an inmate is now facing criminal charges, prosecutors said Thursday.

Deputy Maria Torres has been charged with one felony count of assault by a public officer and one felony count of filing a false report by a police officer for the incident on Jan. 20, 2022, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

She was working in the court lock-up at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles when an inmate refused to come out of his cell, prosecutors said. In response, she is accused of a use of force prosecutors describe as unlawful -- pepper-spraying the inmate through a gap in the cell door and then falsifying a report about. 

In a statement from the DA's office, DA George Gascón described the alleged actions of Torres as a "significant breach of trust."

"The victim deserved to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the circumstances," Gascón said. "We are committed to ensuring that justice is served and that the rights of all individuals are protected and upheld."

If convicted of both felony charges, Torres could face up to three years and eight months in state prison.

An arraignment date has not yet been set, prosecutors said. 

The case continues to be investigated by the sheriff's department's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau.