A Southern California jail worker who was arrested earlier this year allegedly mined inmate records to track down a newly released female prisoner — then called her in the middle of the night to tell her he wanted to “shoot his shot,” according to a bombshell legal claim.
Riverside County corrections deputy Yash Patel, 30, allegedly pulled inmate Summer Johnson’s private data from a jail database, then used it to pursue the 31-year-old woman after she was released wearing leggings and a sports bar in early March, according to a legal claim filed this week.
When Johnson — who was reportedly in custody after a disturbance and altercation involving her boyfriend — finally answered repeated calls from a blocked number that started at 1:30 a.m. on March 6, Patel allegedly told her he’d seen her leave the jail in leggings and a sports bra.
“He said he wanted to see her with that outfit off,” attorney Jamal Tooson told the Riverside Press-Enterprise, which was the first to report Johnson’s claim.
Patel was arrested on March 7 in Jurupa Valley, one day after allegedly contacting Johnson. He was booked on suspicion of sexual battery and false imprisonment in an off-duty case involving a different woman, then released March 8 after posting $500,000 bail.
Patel began his employment with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in July 2021 and was most recently assigned to the Robert Presley Detention Center.
Tooson previously represented another woman who accused a different Riverside County deputy of using law enforcement databases to pursue her romantically — sending unwanted texts and showing up at her home. The county paid $375,000 to settle that case.
“Clearly this is an ongoing problem,” Tooson told The Post.
Sheriff Chad Bianco told the Press-Enterprise that Patel’s arrest stemmed from allegations that the deputy contacted another woman after her release from custody, confirming the department is now “speaking with several” women he may have contacted.
“Clearly, there were supposed to be steps taken to correct this behavior, but now here we are — a nearly identical situation on the heels of the county settlement,” Tooson told The Post.
Bianco, who is currently a candidate for California governor, has faced scrutiny over a series of scandals involving his jails, from an epidemic of inmate deaths reported last year to staff inappropriately contacting female inmates after their release.
The sheriff, who could not be reached for comment, reportedly dismissed claims from an online vlogger that Patel and multiple deputies were running a sex-for-contact scheme targeting former inmates, blasting it as a “political smear campaign.”
“Obviously, he is in the midst of a governor’s race,” Tooson said, “and we would like to see these problems addressed and corrected by a department that is in charge of public safety.”
A legal claim generally precedes a formal lawsuit.
Investigators found Johnson’s number on Patel’s phone after his arrest, her lawyer said — prompting them to contact her.
Patel and Johnson continued to communicate after his initial calls, with Johnson sending Patel a candid photo and asking for proof of his identity, Toooson told the Press-Enterprise. Patel sent photos back, her attorney said.
Their chats later moved to Snapchat, where messages vanish, but Johnson reportedly recorded the exchanges on another phone to preserve them.
Johnson had not provided Patel her contact information, according to the claim, which alleges he accessed and obtained her confidential personal identifying information during the jail release process and used it “for personal purposes wholly unrelated to any legitimate law-enforcement function.”
The claim called Patel’s conduct an “abuse of authority” and “invasion of privacy.”
Johnson suffered “severe emotional distress,” including fear, anxiety, humiliation, and a loss of personal safety tied to being contacted by an armed law enforcement officer with access to her private data, according to the claim.
The claim notes that the damages are likely to exceed $10 million.
