NewsLocal News

Actions

Correctional officer at Milwaukee Co. Jail resigns following sexual assault charges

Milwaukee County Jail.JPG
Posted at 9:03 PM, Feb 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-09 22:04:57-05

MILWAUKEE — A correctional officer has resigned from the Milwaukee County Jail after he was charged with sexually assaulting an inmate and a former employee there.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that Gilberto L. Fernandez-Rosa, 26, has resigned. Last Wednesday, prosecutors charged Fernandez-Rosa with two counts of felony 2nd-degree sexual assault by a corrections staff and misdemeanor 4th-degree sexual assault. If found guilty of all counts, Fernandez-Rosa could spend over 80 years behind bars and face up to $210,000 in fines.

Fernandez-Rosa was arrested by Sheriff’s detectives on Jan. 29 in connection to the charges.

Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell R. Lucas said in a statement, “The resignation of Mr. Fernandez-Rosa is reflective of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office holding its members to a high standard and an acknowledgement that he could no longer uphold the high honor of his employment.”

The charges

According to a criminal complaint, then correctional officer Fernandez-Rosa is the suspect in a number of incidents spanning from Sept. 4, 2020 through Jan. 24, 2021 at the Milwaukee County Jail at 949 North 9th St.

A detective with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office assigned to the case describes that the first victim, an inmate at the jail, reported that Fernandez-Rosa made sexually charged comments towards her over a span of two months.

The complaint states that the comments escalated when the guard exposed himself and touched her inappropriately without permission on two occasions. During the last alleged attack, Fernandez-Rosa told the victim, "You know if you say something what’s gonna happen [sic],” the complaint states.

The guard also assaulted an employee at the jail, according to the complaint, when Fernandez-Rosa sat at her work station and made numerous sexually charged comments. She told him to go away. He then exposed himself and grabbed her, while making sexually inappropriate comments, prosecutors say.

Both victims did not consent, according to the complaint.

A Milwaukee County judge set bail for Fernandez-Rosa at $10,000 and required electronic monitoring. The court also ordered a DNA sample from the defendant.

Fernandez-Rosa will be back in Milwaukee County Court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 12.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip