TEMESCAL VALLEY: Officer arrested, charged with kidnap, rape, sodomy of wife

TEMESCAL VALLEY — An off-duty Rialto police officer who formerly worked as a City of Bell police officer is facing at least five felony charges that officials say stemmed from a domestic violence-related incident over the weekend. The officer, who has worked for City of Rialto since Nov. 2013, was immediately placed on administrative leave after his department was notified regarding the allegations and arrest.

The off-duty officer was arrested Saturday afternoon, Jan. 27, at a residence in the Temescal Valley, between Corona and Lake Elsinore.

After an investigation officials arrested 32-year-old, Fidel Nunez Jr., Riverside County Sergeant Chris Willison explained after Nunez’ arrest. He was booked at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of kidnapping to commit spousal rape, rape of a spouse, domestic violence, sodomy and sexual penetration by force.

Nunez was released within hours of being booked after posting $1.05 million bail and he is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside Hall Of Justice, Mar. 27.

The investigation began shortly before 1:20 p.m., when deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Lake Elsinore Station responded to a private residence on the 13100 block of Broken Bit Circle.

They were dispatched to the home after emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance occurring inside the residence. Officials did not specify who called 911 to report the incident.

When deputies arrived at the home they found “evidence consistent with domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Willison. Citing the ongoing investigation, Willison explained no other details regarding the alleged incident would be released at this time.

Online jail records indicated Nunez was arrested at 11 p.m., nearly ten hours after the incident was reported. He was booked into jail early the next morning. Riverside and San Bernardino Superior Court Record searches indicated Nunez has no prior criminal history in either county.

Interim Rialto Police Chief Mark P. Kling later confirmed Nunez was a Rialto PD officer and that Rialto PD had initiated an internal affairs investigation into the matter and is cooperating with the Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s investigation into the allegations.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Lake Elsinore Station at (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number F180270048 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

 

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.