Santa Barbara County Settles Federal Lawsuit Filed by Woman Sexually Assaulted by Jail Employee
Former Jail Inmate Had Sued County over Sheriff’s Office’s ‘Policy of Inaction’ and ‘Deliberate Indifference’
Santa Barbara County settled its litigation with a former jail inmate — identified as Jane Doe to maintain her anonymity — on September 4, after Doe sued the county in federal court over claims that the Sheriff’s Office’s “policy of inaction” and “deliberate indifference” paved the way for a jail employee to sexually assault her. A jury trial was set to begin on September 17.
“There were institutional failures that allowed my client’s sexual assault to happen,” said Neil Gehlawat, Doe’s attorney.
Salvador Vargas, the perpetrator and then-discharge planner, sexually assaulted Doe in 2018 while transporting her from the Main Jail to Bethel House, a residential treatment center where she would complete her sentence. Court records show that “during the drive, Vargas told Plaintiff that ‘he got her out’ and that she ‘owed him.’” Then, “Vargas assaulted, groped, and forced Doe to orally copulate him.” Vargas had made multiple sexual comments and advances at Doe before this event.
Vargas ended up pleading guilty to two felony charges on the eve of his own trial in 2022 and is serving three years behind bars.
In the years leading up to Doe’s assault, three sexual assault complaints were made against Vargas by other inmates. According to court records, investigating deputies did not interview the victims in two of the three complaints.
The one interviewed inmate was taken seriously, and investigating deputies relayed the complaint to their sergeants for further action. However, the deputies were instructed to disregard it.
Gehlawat emphasized that this situation could’ve been entirely preventable had the county properly investigated each complaint.
The settlement amount, while not currently finalized, will be released in the coming weeks.
