Santa Barbara Jail Employee Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Female Inmates

Former Santa Barbara County Jail employee Salvador Vargas, 36, faces eight years in prison and lifetime sex offender registration after an investigation revealed he sexually assaulted several female inmates. On the eve of his trial, Vargas pleaded guilty to forcible oral copulation and sexual activity with an inmate, both felonies.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, between 2016 and 2018, Vargas took advantage of several inmates at the jail, where he was employed as a discharge planner. The women accused of him of assaulting them and said he would provide favors to those who engaged in sexual activity with him. 

In August 2017, prosecutors said, Vargas was transporting a female inmate on electronic monitoring, identified only as Jane Doe, from jail to a residential treatment facility. But before they reached their destination, Vargas parked his vehicle and forced Doe to orally copulate him.