LOS ANGELES, California — A former San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputy was sentenced to seven months in federal prison for abusing a county jail inmate, according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office. Joshua Fischer, 42, of Grover Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. At the hearing, Judge Birotte described Fischer’s actions as showing a “level of callousness” and “disdain” toward the victim, and deemed his use of force “unreasonable.
” Fischer pleaded guilty on April 2 to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. As part of his plea agreement, Fischer agreed not to seek future employment as a sworn law enforcement officer. Fischer, a senior correctional deputy with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, was assigned to the Intake Release Center in San Luis Obispo between January 2017 and December 2018.
On November 18, 2018, while on duty, Fischer instructed a jail inmate to exit her cell and enter an adjacent cell. After an argument, Fischer forcibly grabbed the shirtless inmate by her hair, dragged her across the floor, and threw her into another cell. Fischer later authored a report about the incident, saving it as “11-18-18 [victim’s last name] what a drag” on a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office computer.
In his plea agreement, Fischer admitted that he knew his use of force was unreasonable and unnecessary, and that he acted willfully to deprive the victim of her rights. Prior to the filing of charges, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office terminated Fischer’s employment. The FBI investigated the matter with assistance from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case.
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