LA County Sheriff says deputy arrested, accused of rape

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - A 10-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was arrested for allegedly having sexual contact with a pair of female inmates, Sheriff Jim McDonnell announced today.

Deputy Giancarlo Scotti, 31, was arrested around 6 p.m. Wednesday, the same day of the alleged assaults at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, McDonnell said. Scotti, who was arrested while on duty, was booked on suspicion of two counts each of rape under color of authority and oral copulation under color of authority. He was booked at the sheriff's Norwalk station and released on $100,000 bail.

He has been placed on administrative leave, McDonnell said.

The sheriff said the alleged crime ``points to a violation of public trust and of the law.''

McDonnell said one of the female inmates who was allegedly assaulted filed a complaint, and a subsequent investigation revealed that there were two alleged victims.

``At this time there's no indication or evidence that any other personnel were involved and the focus of this investigation remains on one individual,'' the sheriff said.

McDonnell called the alleged behavior ``disgusting.''

``The crime of this nature is horrific,'' McDonnell said. ``Criminal misconduct, especially criminal misconduct that preys on a vulnerable population, will not be tolerated and will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,'' he said. ``We have a public obligation to follow the evidence and the facts. We have a moral duty to assure our public and the inmates in our care that we take these allegations very seriously.''

VIDEO OF PRESS CONFERENCE: