SAN BERNARDINO – An ex-sheriff’s deputy, found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a teen-age girl, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison by a Superior Court judge on Friday. Nathan Gastineau, 30, who will also be required to register as a sex offender for life, had long since denied the accusations of a then 15-year-old former Explorer scout who made the charges in 2011.
The unidentified victim, who appeared in court with her parents, watched Judge William Jefferson Powell IV hand down the maximum sentenced allowed – 13 years and eight months in state prison.
Gastineau, who resigned as a Highland-area deputy in 2012 and drove a taxi cab in the Los Angeles County area, kept getting delays in his trial which took nearly three years from the outset of the incidents. He was convicted on January 17 on charges of lewd acts with a child, unlawful sex with a minor and possession of child pornography.
The two met through the sheriff’s Explorers, a county-based program that allows teen-agers a glimpse into law enforcement. Explorers are allowed to ride along with deputies who are on duty. They became involved in a sexual relationship that lasted about six months, according to investigators. Gastineau, who continuously denied any sexual involvement, later testified that the two had sex just once.
Investigators discovered a videotape of their sexual activities in the bedroom of his Redlands apartment. During trial, it was disclosed that Gastineau used his deputy’s handcuffs during their activities.
Gastineau’s attorney, Andrew Haynal, argued that his client should have received a suspended sentence and probation based on his years of service with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The convicted ex-deputy called the affair a “monumental mistake and a huge lapse in judgement.”
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The Sun: Ex-San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy Nathan Gastineau sentenced to 13 years in prison
