10:21 a.m update
Judge Brad Karren set Rivero's bond at $5,000 at a hearing Friday morning.
Original story
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.
About the case
Adrian Rivero, 34, was arrested in connection with sexual assault in fourth degree, a Class D felony punishable with up to six years in prison. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges. Rivero’s arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. June 27 in Circuit Judge Brad Karren’s court.
Source: Staff report
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 the physical contact between Rivero and the inmate 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 one day Rivero complimented her for her beauty and they had flirted with each other, the affidavit states. She said 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.
It took the Sheriff's Office more than 24 hours to release Rivero's name even though he had been arrested and jailed in connection with the case. Rivero's booking photograph also was posted on websites for the Sheriff's Office and Washington County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday.
The Sheriff's Office issued a news release Wednesday stating a jailer was arrested as the result of an inmate complaint and an internal investigation.
A Freedom of Information Act request was filed Thursday asking for a copy of the internal investigation. Keshia Guyll, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, responded to the request by saying no official internal investigation was done, just a criminal investigation.
Guyll said the incident was still being investigated Wednesday, but the Sheriff's Office wanted to be transparent, and that's why a news release with minimal information was sent out with a statement that no further information would be released until the investigation was complete.
NW News on 05/20/2016