Former local Chief Deputy Sheriff arrested in prostitution sting

A former Riverside County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Sheriff who served in the Coachella Valley was arrested in a prostitution sting operation in Temecula last week.

Ron Dye, 72, of Murrieta, was taken into custody on January 9 at 3:38 p.m. near the intersection Jefferson Street and Overland Drive in Temecula. According to county jail records, he faces one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct: prostitution.

News Channel 3 confirmed with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Media Information Bureau that Dye worked for RSO for more than three decades.

"Ronald Dye was employed with RSO from 1969-2004, retiring as a Chief Deputy Sheriff," read an email from Deputy Robyn Flores, RSO public information officer.

An Associated Press story from July 1987 quotes Dye while working a case in Indio. Additionally, an issue of a former newsletter for the city of Rancho Mirage, MIRAGESCAPE, from early 2004 displayed a photo taken of Dye taking a photo with a Rancho Mirage deputy receiving an honor from the city. The photo was taken at some point after August 31, 2003.

The prostitution & narcotics operation, which netted 10 arrests, was coordinated at the direction of Sheriff Chad Bianco and coordinated by RSO's Temecula Special Teams.

In addition to Dye, the following suspects were arrested, according to RSO:

• Jeir Castillo, 25 of Lake Elsinore - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Anthony Garcia, 21, of Temecula - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Everett Mays, 53, of Temecula - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Chad Nehlsen, 41, of Murrieta - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Daniel Wolff, 31, of Temecula - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Juan Juan, 46, of Wildomar - arrested on suspicion of prostitution
• Alfredo Becerra, 33, Temecula transient - arrested on suspicion possession of illegal narcotics and felony violation of probation
• Derrick Kendrick, 25, of Winchester - arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal narcotics
• William Blackmon, 38, Menifee transient arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal narcotics

"Temecula Sheriff Special Teams will continue to work vice (prostitution) and narcotic stings in the Temecula area to improve quality of life for residents, deter prostitution and the use/possession of illegal narcotics.  Anyone with questions regarding this operation are encouraged to call Deputy Vigil at the Temecula Sheriff’s Station (951) 696-3119," read the release on the operation.

Dye was booked into Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta and released on $2,500 bail the same day.