BENTONVILLE — A Benton County Sheriff’s Office jailer admitted he kissed a female inmate in the ministry room at the jail, according to probable cause affidavit released Thursday.
Adrian Rivero, 34, was fired and arrested Wednesday in connection with fourth-degree sexual assault.
Rivero is being held at the Washington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing. A $25,000 bond has been recommended, according to court documents.
Rivero had worked for the Sheriff’s Office for 14 or 15 months, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The investigation began Wednesday morning when another deputy reported a former inmate said Rivero was having an inappropriate physical relationship with a female inmate, according to the affidavit.
The former inmate reported she knew dates and times that the physical contact between Rivero and the inmate had occurred, according to the affidavit. The former inmate also shared text messages between her and Rivero where the two communicated about the female inmate, according to court documents.
The former inmate reported Rivero and the female began to have an inappropriate relationship in the jail about a week ago, the affidavit states.
The female inmate said in an interview that one day Rivero complimented her for her beauty and they had flirted with each other, the affidavit states. She reported Rivero was standing by a door and she touched him inappropriately as she walked by, according to the affidavit.
The female inmate also reported she and Rivero kissed in the ministry room, the affidavit states. There are no cameras in that room.
Rivero said the situation began when the female inmate left a note in his shirt pocket. They began to communicate more. Some conversations were about her finding work after she got out of jail and how Rivero made her feel special, according to the affidavit.
Rivero admitted sharing one kiss with the female inmate and to her brushing against him inappropriately, the affidavit states.
Rivero said he knew it was wrong to have a relationship with an inmate, the affidavit states.