A former Santa Clara County Jail guard was sentenced to jail for helping a pair of inmates attack another inmate and then covering it up, according to authorities.
Francisco Izayas Castillo, 42, of Morgan Hill, was convicted of a misdemeanor in March for his role in a jailhouse beating four years ago, says a press release from District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office. He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail and will return at 8:30am June 9 to be remanded into custody.
Castillo approved the beating beforehand and even provided rubber gloves to one attacker, authorities said. He then opened the victim’s cell, watched as the beating took place, and then covered it up. On the next shift, another correctional officer discovered the inmate was injured and launched an investigation.
“Correctional officers are sworn to protect the public and the inmates,” Rosen said. “This officer betrayed the public, betrayed the inmates and betrayed the badge. My office will hold corrupt correctional officers to account for their behavior.”
On Sept. 21, 2022, an inmate was attacked in his cell by two other inmates who burst in as soon as Castillo opened his cell, says the press release. A third inmate stood guard outside the cell during the attack.
Castillo knew the attack was imminent because the attackers had told him their intentions just 30 minutes earlier in a meeting at his desk. Castillo approved their actions, telling them to “handle it,” and then worked with them to keep it quiet after the fact, authorities said.
Moments before the incident, one of the attackers took rubber gloves from the guard’s desk and pointed in the direction of the victim’s cell. Castillo then opened the cell using his control panel. The attacker yanked the door open, after which he and another inmate punched and kicked the victim for about 30 seconds inside the victim’s cell, the DA’s office said.
Several minutes later, the victim activated his cell’s emergency call button, turning on a green light outside his cell door and sending a series of pings throughout the module to notify the guard. Castillo, the only deputy in the module, silenced the victim’s emergency notification and turned off his emergency light, says the press release.
Castillo approached the victim’s cell but did not turn on his body worn camera, ensuring there was no record of their conversation.
After the victim told Castillo of the attack and asked for help, Castillo did not request medical aid and did not report the attack, the DA’s office said. Instead, he met with the attackers to concoct a plan to keep word of the attack from getting out.
The next day, once the attack was discovered, Castillo fired the two attackers from their roles as “trustees” in the jail in a last-ditch effort to insulate himself from accountability. He failed, authorities said.
The two attackers and the inmate who stood guard were charged and convicted of the beating. Castillo was fired.
