A man who worked as a San Diego County sheriff’s deputy for 25 years was arrested this week on suspicion of possessing child pornography and an illegal high-powered firearm, authorities reported Friday.
Detectives with the San Diego Police Department took 51-year-old Jose Soto into custody Tuesday after serving a search warrant in the 200 block of Benviana Drive, SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki said.
Soto was fired from his part-time law enforcement job that same day, prior to his arrest, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Kelly Martinez was “deeply disappointed and frustrated” by the allegations against Soto, whose most recent assignment was at the South Bay Courthouse, the county agency asserted in a prepared statement.
“We would also like to point out we understand the vast majority of deputies come to work every day and promote the mission of the Sheriff’s Department and ensure the safety of the public,” the statement added. “It is very unfortunate the hard work of so many is overshadowed by an incident such as this.”
Soto began working for the department as a detentions and court-services deputy in March of 1998, according to sheriff’s officials. He retired in January of last year, then was re-hired by the agency on a part-time basis in September.
The SDPD spokesman described gun that Soto allegedly had in his possession illegally as an “assault weapon.”
Soto was no longer in custody as of Friday afternoon, according to jail records.
Updated at 3:37 p.m. May 5, 2023
City News Service contributed to this article.