Riverside County Sheriff’s Correctional Deputy accused of having sex with inmate & extortion pleads not guilty
Update 9/20/23
A former Riverside County sheriff's correctional deputy accused of engaging in sex acts with a female inmate on home detention and trying to compel others to do the same pleaded not guilty to nearly 20 felony charges.
Christian Phillip Heidecker is charged with three counts each of being a detention officer engaging in sex while on duty and witness intimidation, as well as four counts each of attempted penetration with a foreign object, extortion and a public official seeking bribes.
According to court documents, an investigation revealed that Heidecker had allegedly exploited his position of authority, targeting four female inmates
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(Original Posting)
A Riverside County Sheriff's Correctional Deputy was arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual intercourse with an inmate and extortion.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, on Aug. 31, investigators were notified of a possible crime(s) being committed by a Sheriff’s Office employee formerly assigned to the Riverside Alternative Sentencing Program (RASP).
The program is located at the Coordinated Custody Management Unit in Banning.
"Investigators learned a correctional deputy was extorting female inmates who were assigned to the home confinement unit," reads an RSO news release.
Inmates assigned to this program are required to wear ankle monitors to complete their court-ordered sentencing out of jail custody confined to their homes.
On Friday, the Correctional Deputy, a 32-year-old man, turned himself in and was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
He faces multiple charges, including one count of engaging in sexual activity with an inmate, three counts of attempted sexual activity with an inmate, and four counts of extortion under color of authority.
The Correctional Deputy is being held on $1 million bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 20.
The investigation remains ongoing.
The Sheriff’s Office believes there may be additional victims and asks anyone with additional information on this incident to contact Riverside Sheriff’s Master Investigator R. Deanne at 951 955-2777.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
