A former deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department took his own life after being arrested for attempting to have sex with a minor earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Anthony Russo, 52, was released on $50,000 bail after being ensnared by undercover police officers and arrested on December 11 at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he was working at the time. It had been.
After receiving a tip on Dec. 10, an RCSD investigator posing as a 15-year-old contacted Russo and said Russo “shared explicit material and met with people he believed to be underage to engage in sexual activity.” communicated his intent to commit the act,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. at the time of his arrest.
The 52-year-old was taken into custody by the RCSD’s Special Investigations Unit and charged with two felonies and ultimately charged by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office with one felony count of knowingly distributing a hazardous substance.
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He also resigned from his position as a deputy in the sheriff’s department’s corrections division.
The San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office confirmed to the Times that Russo was found dead inside her Lake Arrowbear Lake home on Dec. 20, but the details of the suicide and the discovery are unclear. No information was provided about the person.
RCSD officials told the Times they had no further details about his death because the investigation was outside their jurisdiction, but offered their condolences “to the family and friends affected by this tragic loss.” He said he expressed it.
Mr. Russo was scheduled to appear in court on January 24 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Anyone facing a mental health crisis can get help by calling or texting the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. 988lifeline.org also has an online chat.
