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Central Coast deputy gets year in jail for tossing drug test

December 17, 2021

Richard Charles Barrios III

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A judge sentenced a former Ventura County Sheriff’s deputy to one year in jail over throwing out a drug test that exonerated a woman whom he detained on suspicion of being under the influence of methamphetamine.

On Nov. 12, 2019, then-Deputy Richard Charles Barrios III was on patrol in Camarillo when he pulled over a woman for an alleged traffic violation. Barrios said he suspected the woman was under the influence of methamphetamine and called for another deputy to corroborate his suspicion. The second deputy arrived and agreed that the woman appeared to be under the influence.

However, throughout the incident, the woman vehemently denied being under the influence of drugs. Barrios told the woman, if she were to provide a urine sample and pass a drug test, he would apologize and drive her back to her car.

The woman came to the Camarillo station, provided a urine sample and handed it to the deputy. Barrios tested the sample with a narcotics test kit, examined the results and then threw the test kit into the garbage and disposed of the urine sample.

Next, Barrios refused to tell the woman the results of her test and began the process of booking her into the Ventura County Main Jail. Barrios told his director supervisor that the woman refused to provide a urine sample.

Another deputy began transporting the woman to jail. The woman told the deputy that she provided a sample to Barrios, who tested the urine and then refused to tell her the results.

The deputy later found the test kit in the garbage. The kit showed the woman had tested negative for any controlled substances.

After providing a second urine sample, the woman was again cleared. She was released and taken back to her vehicle.

The sheriff’s major crimes bureau immediately began investigating. Barrios claimed he also administered a narcotics evaluation at the Camarillo station. Investigators viewed surveillance footage and determined Barrios lied about conducting the evaluation.

On Nov. 16, Barrios pleaded guilty to one felony count of destroying physical matter. Recently, a judge sentenced Barrios to one year in jail, as well as two years of felony probation, the maximum possible punishment for the crime.

Following Barrios’s plea, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub released a statement saying his former deputy had violated public trust and corrective action needed to be taken.


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One year in jail is plenty of time for this p.o.s to get what he deserves…Hopefully he’s in general population and not in isolated protective custody.


4

Let’s see, he falsely arrested this woman; destroyed the evidence that she was innocent; lied to his superiors multiple times, and he plea bargains down to one year in jail?? No doubt he still is getting his job back and getting a public pension in another twenty years. What a racket.


Thank you for NOT naming his defense attorney as he is obviously quite good!


The “corrective action” should include a review of all his other cases, perhaps especially those involving women. This is so brazen that I doubt this was the first time he did something like this. Was he trying to intimidate her or was he after a roll in the hay to let her off? (a la Paso Robles LEO). Does the department informally require a certain number of stops or arrests per shift or per week? This totally stinks.


Regrettably these kinds of things erode respect for law enforcement. We don’t know if she was going to work, had kids to pick up from school, had a doctor’s appointment etc. but regardless of any of that, I, too, hope she is compensated. Rogue officers must be eliminated!


10

Not to worry about this poor LEO, the union has protected his ability to just work at a different department all of this hidden and his pension is still intact. This is certainly the type of police that need to be unfunded.


11

Hope the victim is well compensated for this lame ass excuse for a Deputy.


18

Pretty lame system, this crime happened over two years ago!

And only one year in the slammer for false arrest, lying to superiors and assorted other sordid offenses on the part of a’;trusted’ public servant?

It would be nice if articles like this gave us some idea of motive, this is a bizarre story.


22

Hopefully the victim can be compensated financially.


12

Motive, he was convinced she was high, and got proven wrong, so he destroyed the evidence proving him wrong.

Fairly simple.

He made it personal, got pissed, and still wanted to see her arrested.

That’s all.


22

Time to find a new profession after paying for your less than intelligent deed.


24