Former Fresno County correctional officer accused of having sex with an inmate
A former correctional officer was arrested Friday on charges that she had sex with an inmate at the Fresno County Jail.
Tina Gonzalez, 26, of Lemoore was charged with having sexual relations with an inmate, a felony, plus possession of a controlled substance (alcohol) in a jail and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a cell phone with intent to deliver to an inmate, the sheriff’s office said.
She was booked into Fresno County Jail and her bail was set at $21,000.
According to sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti, jail staff members received a tip in December 2019 that a male inmate was in possession of a cell phone and was involved in a sexual relationship with Gonzalez. Jail staff found the phone in the inmate’s cell.
The sheriff’s internal affairs and vice units opened investigations, Botti said, and Gonzalez resigned after being interviewed by detectives. She had been on the job since September 2016.
The alcohol charge stems from an incident separate from Gonzalez’s liaison with the inmate, Botti said. It was discovered during the investigation. Gonzalez never brought alcohol to an inmate, Botti said.
This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 5:42 PM.
