Nearly three dozen probation officers were formally charged with multiple offenses including child abuse and endangerment following an investigation that detected cases of “youth-on-youth violence” at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall located in the city of Downey.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued notice to the officers in a letter dated February 18, 2025, that ordered the recipients to report to court March 3rd at 8:00 a.m. at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.
“Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care,” Bonta said in a statement Monday. “Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite — overseeing `gladiator fights’ when they should have intervened. The indictment – – and the filing of criminal charges — is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Let today’s charges be a warning for all those who abuse their power: the California Department of Justice is watching, and we will hold you accountable.”
Twenty-two of the 30 officers were arraigned Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court, with the remaining officers set for arraignment on April 18.
Tom Yu, an attorney for one of those indicted, labeled the charges a “political attack”.
“I am honored to represent Director Ramses Patron, he is a decorated veteran of the probation department and has served the community for over three decades. This prosecution is a political hit to attack the men and women of the probation department by the California Attorney General,” said Yu, when reached for comment. “From a brief review of the Information, it appears that the indictment arose from a failure to act by my client, which presupposes he had direct and actual knowledge of the “gladiator” style fights. From my knowledge of this case, I do not believe that such evidence exists and I look forward to aggressively defending Director Patron in court.”
According to Bonta, the charges stem from an investigation that began last year following the January 2024 release of surveillance video from Los Padrinos that showed a youth being attacked by a series of other detainees as detention officers stood by — some of them laughing.
Following the unsealing of the indictments, the LA County Probation Officers Union issued a statement underlining the rights of the accused.
“Every American is innocent until proven guilty,” said Stacy Ford, president of AFSCME Local 685. “Our members are entitled to this same presumption of innocence and deserve to be treated with fairness and due process, just as they provide to those in their custody. We do not condone any unlawful behavior, and we will do everything in our power to support our members as they navigate this difficult situation.”
“Our members have been working under extremely difficult conditions — understaffed and ill-equipped facilities that house individuals accused of murder, sexual assault, terrorism, and other serious crimes. Despite these challenges, our professional peace officers remain committed to maintaining the highest level of professionalism while upholding their sworn duties. We will continue to advocate for the safety, rights, and integrity of our members while ensuring that due process is upheld for all.”
The Los Angeles County Probation Department issued a statement in support of the AG’s office filing the charges.
“The Los Angeles County Probation Department fully supports and applauds the Attorney General and his office for today’s indictments. Our department sought the assistance of law enforcement authorities when misconduct was discovered, which eventually led to the AG’s office investigation. Since then, we have fully collaborated with our partners. At the same time, we have been conducting our own internal inquiries. The current staff named in today’s indictments have all been placed on leave without pay. Accountability is a cornerstone of our mission, and we have zero tolerance for misconduct of any peace officers, especially those dealing with young people in our system,” said the department in an official statement.
The department announced 8 officers were placed on leave a month after the video was leaked to the public.
In May 2024, the department announced that 66 probation officers were placed on leave pending disciplinary investigations.
“We are releasing this information in the spirit of greater transparency and to assure our stakeholders — especially the families of youths in our juvenile facilities — that we will not tolerate anything that impedes our mission to provide a safe, nurturing, and structured environment for those entrusted to our care,” said Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa.
Of the 66 officers placed on leave, 39 were for issues of general misconduct, which includes suspected use of excessive force, child endangerment or abuse, possession of contraband, and negligent supervision.
In addition, 18 were put on leave for suspected sexual misconduct and nine for arrests unrelated to employment.
The number of those placed on leave for general misconduct includes 14 officers — two more than previously announced — related to youth-on-youth violence at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Those cases were turned over to the Attorney General’s office while the Probation Department restructures its Internal Affairs Unit.
“While these incidents are deeply troubling, we believe this marks an important step toward rebuilding trust and reinforcing our commitment to the meaningful changes we are proposing in our juvenile facilities. Our vision for them is one that prioritizes rehabilitation, support, and positive outcomes for justice-involved youth, as well as upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity for our staff. We remain dedicated to fostering an environment that is safe, restorative, and aligned with best practices,” said the department.
