Riverside Deputy Investigated For Raping Teenager

PALM DESERT – Deputy Christian Talavera is now on paid administrative leave while authorities investigateallegations that heraped a teenaged girl. The deputy does not face any criminal charges at this time. But, these claims are now at the center of another rape trial Deputy Talavera was set to testify in.

Talavera has only been on the force for three years, but he’s no longer on patrol. Sheriff’s officials confirm on August 21, he was placed on administrative leave.

Sources close to the investigation tell News Channel 3 the alleged victim was a 17 year old girl. Three of her immediate family members work in local law enforcement.

The information from those confidential sources is confirmed by an email obtained by News Channel 3. It was sent from Public Defender Tom Steelman to nearly every local public defender’s office telling them how Deputy District Attorney Kristi Belcher informed him of the investigation against Deputy Talavera.

It reads: “In Jose Sanchez INF063795 the case was in 2F ready for trial. On the last day DDA Belcher told me that she had some Brady material for me.

She said that her office had specifically ordered her not to divulge the information to me. However, she told me that she felt that she had an independent ethical obligation and that she would like to keep her bar card. Apparently one of the investigating officers, C. Talavera, #4144 RSO, is suspected of 289P.C. (forcible penetration) He is supposedly on administrative leave. The DA ‘s were supposed to have staffed the filing Friday 9-25-09. That staffing has been postponed indefinitely. I asked Ms. Belcher for the reports. She says that she does not have accesses to them at this time. I am bringing discovery motions.”

Deputy Christian Talavera was about to testify in a separate rape trial.

Public defender Steelman filed a motion to toss out the deputy’s testimony. The sheriff’s department fired right back, not wanting to reveal any information on Deputy Talavera at this time.

Lead Public Defender Gary Windom himself alleges, in this same motion, the District Attorney’s office is withholding information.

News Channel3 contacted Deputy Talavera for comment. He has not returned our email.

We are still workingto uncover new details about what Deputy Talavera’s immediate supervisor at the Palm Desert sheriff’s station knew about these alleged crimes.

We have also asked the Riverside County District Attorney’s office for comment. Firday afternoon, they released this statement in response to claims from from the Public Defenders office they are withholding information:

“No, this is false. We don’t have any Brady material. We can’t give themwhat we don’t have.The District Attorney’s Office is obligated to seek justice and to follow thelaw. Our office will seek justice and follow the law in this case, as we doin each and every other case.In the event that our office has Brady information on any witness, we providethat to the defense attorney. This case is no different.Our prosecutor did the right thing and will continue to do the right thing.”

Once again, Deputy Christian Talavera is on paid administrative leave. He is not under arrest, nor does he does he face any criminal charges at this time.

To read excerpts of the motion filed by the Public Defender’s office challenging Deputy Talavera’s previous testimony, click here.

To read the Sheriff’s Department’s countering motion, click here.