Former Riverside Homeland Security agent convicted of sexually assaulting 2 women

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A former Homeland Security agent from Riverside was convicted Wednesday of sexually assaulting two women and abusing his position to prevent the women from reporting it, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Joh Jacob Olivas was found guilty on three counts of deprivation or rights, a civil rights crime. Olivas started as a federal agent with Custims Enforcement in 2007.

The assaults both happened in 2012, according to officials. In one case, the victim testified that Olivas tried to rape her, saying that police wouldn't respond to any complaint he made because he was "above a cop" in his position as a federal agent. The victim also testified that Olivas could make her "disappear," have her children taken, or get her arrested on fake criminal charges if she tried to report him.

Olivas was also convicted of raping another woman on two separate occasions that same year. The victim made similar claims, that Olivas thought he was above the law due to his federal position, and also that he used his service gun to threaten her before raping her.

Olivas is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2023, and faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.