HOLLISTER
A grand jury indicted former San Benito County sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Rodrigues, and a warrant was issued Thursday for his arrest, District Attorney Candice Hooper confirmed. Rodrigues’ whereabouts as of press time Thursday remained unknown.
Both Hooper and the sheriff’s office cited California law that prevented them from discussing details of the indictment – including charges.
Sheriff Curtis Hill said he couldn’t discuss the indictment or the search for Rodrigues, but said he wanted to apologize to the residents of San Benito County. Rodrigues worked for the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years. In early November, Hill announced that Rodrigues was “no longer employed by the County of San Benito.”
Rodrigues was under investigation for two rape allegations, violations of a court order to prevent domestic violence, stalking and intimidating a victim or witness, authorities have said. Those allegations surfaced in September and investigations were completed in October, the sheriff’s office announced at the time.
Hooper impaneled a criminal grand jury Monday, and proceedings were held through Wednesday.
“There is an indictment, and there is an arrest warrant to assist in the apprehension of him,” Hooper said.
County dispatchers at noon Thursday announced there were outstanding felony warrants for Rodrigues.
Bail for the arrest warrant was set at $300,000, according to a source close to the case who asked to remain unnamed.
Dispatchers issued a “be on the lookout” for Rodrigues, described his possible vehicles and told law enforcement to “approach with caution.” Dispatchers also said Rodrigues was to meet deputies at 11 a.m. Thursday at the San Benito County Jail, but he failed to show.
“We were looking for a voluntary appearance to turn himself in,” Sheriff Curtis Hill said Thursday evening. “But it’s looking like that didn’t occur.”
About 9:30 a.m. Thursday, deputies rushed to the courthouse on word that Rodrigues had been sighted there, but they didn’t find him.
Hill would not detail the search for Rodrigues, but did issue the apology to citizens.
“I apologize for the community even having to be exposed to this,” Hill said. “The men and women of this organization – we work hard to maintain that public trust, and it’s embarrassing.”
A press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the sheriff’s office, Hill said.
One of Rodrigues’ attorneys, Mike Pekin, declined to comment Thursday afternoon.
The former deputy did not return calls seeking comment Thursday.
Thursday’s announcement marks the second time Rodrigues has been indicted on criminal charges. In 1987, Rodrigues was investigated and indicted on a felony charge that he falsely imprisoned an alleged rape victim. Rodrigues pleaded innocent, the women later refused to testify and the district attorney’s office dropped the charge in August 1987.
During the 1980s, Rodrigues was investigated – and eventually cleared – for a multitude of other suspected crimes involving women.
Rodrigues is the same deputy who shot a drugged, unarmed man in June.
Israel Guerrero, a 29-year-old Hollister resident, later died from excited delirium – with the gunshot wound, shocks from a Taser gun, baton strike and struggle with law enforcement contributing to the death, according to an autopsy report.
Hooper ruled Rodrigues didn’t commit a crime in the incident. Rodrigues’ 11-year-old daughter was in his patrol car at the time of the shooting. Hill at the time confirmed her presence violated office policy.
