An El Paso County sheriff deputy was charged in a use of force incident, officials said Thursday.
Deputy Francisco Vasquez, who has been with the sheriff’s office for three years, was charged on Thursday by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office with third-degree assault and official oppression in a Sept. 29 use of force incident that happened in the intake and release area of the Criminal Justice Center, according to an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office news release.
A criminal investigation was initiated due to Vasquez’s actions.
Vasquez is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the internal investigation, the release said.
“The arrest of a deputy has a significant impact on our Office, its members, and our community,” said Sheriff Bill Elder in a news release. “It will be handled in the same manner and with the same integrity as every other investigation.”
Further information about this case will not be released, the sheriff’s office said, citing it as an “ongoing personnel matter.”
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or @ehernandez
