Former ICE Agent John Jacob Olivas Charged With Sexual Assault & Rape

A man from Riverside, California who once worked as a special agent for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been arrested on charges that he sexually assaulted one woman and raped another woman on two separate occasions. In both cases, Fox News reports that 43-year-old John Jacob Olivas used his position of authority to keep the women quiet about what had happened. Olivas was employed by ICE at the time of his alleged crimes and both women were being detained by the Homeland Security division when they were attacked. He told both women that reporting what had happened would be useless and that no one would believe their claims or take any action against him because of his position as a federal officer.

All three incidents happened in Riverside in 2012. The alleged sexual assault took place in January. Cal Coastal News reports that the grand jury indictment indicates Olivas told her that “the police would not be responsive to any report she may make about defendant Olivas because of defendant Olivas’ position as a federal law enforcement officer.” The first alleged rape happened in September of that year and the other in November. He made the same claim to that victim and was in possession of a firearm and his ICE badge during all three incidents. The Los Angeles Times reports that Olivas “had been in ongoing relationships with both of them.” The women were not under investigation.

John Jacob Olivas allegedly attempted to rape a woman in 2012, using force and telling her that police wouldn't do anything if she reported it.

A few months later, he allegedly raped a different woman, telling her the same thing.https://t.co/sygikFkPD1

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) August 16, 2018

Olivas has been charged with three counts of deprivation of rights including the “right to bodily integrity” under color of law and could face a sentence of life in a federal prison for each count if he is convicted. He was taken into custody and arraigned in U.S. District Court in Riverside on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges and was released on $50,000 bail. He’s scheduled to appear in court for trial on October 9.

Olivas began working for ICE in 2007. When he resigned in 2015, he had worked as a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent for just over six years.

The case against Olivas is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility. The prosecutor on the case is Assistant United States Attorney Joseph B. Widman. Anyone who has information about these incidents or believes they were also victimized by Olivas is encouraged to contact the FBI at 855-324-7257.