Monterey County Jail deputy arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy.

On Nov. 7, Monterey County Jail Deputy Gaspar Estevez was arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and concealing a handmade weapon while on duty.

According to a statement from the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, Estevez had concealed a sharp-edged weapon, commonly known as a shank, which had been provided to him by an incarcerated person at the Monterey County Jail in Salinas.

“Whenever anyone has a weapon, that is a crime in the jail,” says Sheriff Tina Nieto.

Nieto says there are no other crimes he has been involved with that she is aware of. Estevez, who was hired in 2017, has been relieved of his duties and placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. He will be booked for multiple felony charges at the San Benito County Jail, according to the statement.

Losing any staff at the jail right now is tough, Nieto shares. At the County Board of Supervisors meeting on Oct. 15 they announced the implementation of a hiring freeze for positions funded by general fund discretionary revenue. Five employees with the Monterey County Sheriff's Office shared concerns about being able to maintain jail staffing during this meeting.

“I don’t want to lose even one person,” Nieto says. “Any time there's not one person working, then somebody has to be making up that time, especially in the jails because of the Hernandez settlement.”

Under the Hernandez settlement, the jail is required to improve jail conditions for incarcerated people, mandating that the county provide adequate mental and health care services, as well as protection of incarcerated people against violence. 

“The Hernandez settlement is critical for our county. We have to care for our incarcerated people and we need to meet those mandates, I believe in that,”  Nieto says. “We need every person we can get. All hands on deck.”

Nieto is working on proving to the Board of Supervisors the criticality of these positions so she can backfill any lost positions at the jail.

“It was unfortunate what happened last night, but it was the right thing to do for our community,” Nieto says.

Charges against Estevez have not yet been filed. He could not be located for comment.