Deputy accused of illegally accessing secure computers arrested

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - A Riverside County sheriff's deputy accused of searching a secure computer network without permission or a legitimate reason is slated for arraignment later this month on felony charges.   

Matthew Enrique Estrada, 53, of Blythe was arrested last month following a nearly yearlong probe by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Special Investigations Bureau.

Estrada did not spend any time in custody, but he was placed on paid administrative leave. The defendant, who is free on a $25,000 bond, is charged with two counts of unlawfully accessing privileged information via government computers.

He's scheduled to be formally arraigned before Superior Court Judge Mickie Reed at the Blythe Courthouse on June 30.   

According to sheriff's Sgt. Michael Perez, detectives learned on June 24, 2025, of one or more instances in which Estrada allegedly "accessed confidential'' data without prior authorization or justification.

There were no details on what he sought to obtain during the alleged activity.

Sufficient evidence was garnered in the ensuing months to submit a request for felony charges from the District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors filed the criminal complaint on Friday.

Estrada has been employed as a deputy sheriff since June 2007. He was most recently assigned to the Colorado River Station.   

Anyone with information about the case was asked to contact investigators at 951-955-1700.