Former Tulare County Sheriff's sergeant charged with torture, kidnapping

Wednesday, October 11, 2023
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A parolee and former sergeant with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office is now behind bars in Kings County.

48-year-old Richard Ray Ramirez is facing felony charges of Torture, Kidnapping and Domestic Violence.
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Around 4 in the morning on October 8th, Visalia Police officers responded to McAuliff Street and Walnut Avenue for a request for medical aid.

Investigators say a 26-year-old woman told officers Ramirez had kidnapped and assaulted her.

A police report shows the victim suffered a broken nose that was "bent towards the right side of her face." She also had a fractured wrist, bruising and redness around her neck, and other injuries from being thrown out of a truck onto the asphalt.

Ramirez was arrested at the scene, and the report shows he told the officer who handcuffed him quote "dude, nothing happened."



Although Family Services of Tulare County is unable to comment on this case, staff members say from 2020 to 2022, there were over 8,500 domestic violence calls in the county.
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"We know that there are a lot of other victims that are not ready to reach out for services, so we know there are numbers that are unreported," says Alma Borja with Family Services of Tulare County.

The police report also mentioned Ramirez and the victim had been in a dating relationship for about four months and that Ramirez was under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance.

He was already on parole for a 2021 domestic violence conviction involving three victims.

Richard Ramirez was sentenced to five years and eight months in state prison in May of 2021 for violent crimes against multiple women.

But prosecutors say he was released after serving less than half that time due to in-custody credits.
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The Tulare County District Attorney's office says if Ramirez is found guilty of the new charges, he could face life in prison.



Ramirez's next court date is next Thursday, October 19th.

The Tulare County Family Services has a safe house called Karen's House.

They offer counseling services, support groups, supervised visits, and legal services.

You can reach Karen's House by calling its local hotline number at (559) 732-5941 or the national hotline at 1 (800) 799-7233.

If you are the victim of domestic abuse, or you know someone who is, there is help available 24/7. In Fresno County, call the Marjaree Mason Center at (559) 233-4357. In all other locations, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233.

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