California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced the unsealing of a grand jury indictment against 30 probation officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey who are accused of child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy and battery.
The indictment alleges the officers permitted and sometimes encouraged 69 fights to occur between youth detainees at Los Padrinos between July 1 and December 31, 2023.
The charges against the officers resulted from an investigation by the California Department of Justice after video footage of one of the so-called “gladiator fights” became public in January 2024.
“Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care,” Bonta said in a statement. “Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite — overseeing ‘gladiator fights’ when they should have intervened.”
The charges against the officers include alleged child abuse and endangerment, conspiracy to commit a crime and battery affecting 143 victims ages 12 to 18, according to Bonta’s office. The indictment also alleges “aggravating factors” that include the victims’ vulnerability and the officers’ position of trust or confidence.
The indictment identifies 69 incidents during the six-month period in which probation officers facilitated and allowed youths in their custody to fight each other.
“The alleged staff-sanctioned fights resulted in physical harm to youth involved and, if the charges are proven, were a dereliction of the officers’ duty to protect those in their care,” according to Bonta’s office.
“The indictment — and the filing of criminal charges — is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall,” the attorney general said. “Let today’s charges be a warning for all those who abuse their power: the California Department of Justice is watching, and we will hold you accountable.”
Probation officials responded to the indictment in a statement Monday:
“The Los Angeles County Probation Department fully supports and applauds the attorney general and his office for today’s indictments. Our department sought the assistance of law enforcement authorities when misconduct was discovered, which eventually led to the AG’s office investigation. Since then, we have fully collaborated with our partners. At the same time, we have been conducting our own internal inquiries. The current staff named in today’s indictments have all been placed on leave without pay. Accountability is a cornerstone of our mission, and we have zero tolerance for misconduct of any peace officers, especially those dealing with young people in our system.
“While these incidents are deeply troubling, we believe this marks an important step toward rebuilding trust and reinforcing our commitment to the meaningful changes we are proposing in our juvenile facilities. Our vision for them is one that prioritizes rehabilitation, support, and positive outcomes for justice-involved youth, as well as upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity for our staff. We remain dedicated to fostering an environment that is safe, restorative, and aligned with best practices.”
LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn also supported the attorney general’s legal action.
“The young people in Los Padrinos are not only in our custody, they are in our care,” she said in a statement. “It is unacceptable that probation officers who were entrusted with this responsibility would use their power to abuse these kids. The probation officers who were involved in this abuse were put on leave last year and I support the chief probation officer in firing any officers who are found guilty. This is only further proof that the culture of our probation department needs to change dramatically.”
Problems have occurred at Los Padrinos since the facility reopened in 2023 to house detainees relocated from Central Juvenile Hall in Boyle Heights and Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, which state authorities ordered closed.
Short-staffing, allegations of violence among detainees and escape attempts have been reported at the facility and in October, the Board of State and Community Corrections deemed Los Padrinos unsuitable to house youth. The board set a Dec. 12 deadline for the county to correct staffing deficiencies or close the facility.
The county, however, has continued operating the facility despite a state shutdown order, citing its lack of a viable alternative for housing the approximately 260 youths detained there.
Twenty-two of the 30 officers were arraigned Monday at LA Superior Court. The remaining officers’ arraignment is scheduled for April 18.
A copy of the indictment is available online.
