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City Employee Taken into Custody
Commerce, CA (January 17, 2017) – On January 13, 2017, a City employee, Steven Matthew Garcia, was taken into custody pending results of a County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department investigation. On January 18, 2017, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that Garcia was charged with sexually assaulting a young girl at a Commerce aquatic center and was charged with six counts of lewd acts upon a child. Garcia is accused of fondling a 7-year-old girl in an employee lounge at an aquatic center on several occasions. He was arraigned today.
The District Attorney’s Office reports that, if convicted as charged, Garcia faces a possible maximum sentence of 14 years in state prison.
“The type of conduct as alleged in this matter is reprehensible. The City took action immediately that led to the arrest of Garcia. I want to commend the County Sheriff’s Department investigative team for their cooperation and professionalism in this matter. I also want to acknowledge the City’s supervisory and executive team who acted decisively and compassionately to protect the victim and family and our patrons. This alleged conduct is not representative of the caliber and professionalism of Commerce employees who continue to provide exceptional public service every day,” said City Administrator, Jorge Rifá.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau.
