Boot Camp Officer Pleads No Contest

(Fresno, California) In January 2006, 28-year-old former teen boot camp officer, Adriana Renee Rivera, was arraigned on charges resulting from an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old ward of the state.

A criminal complaint accused Rivera of sexual intercourse with a minor and accessory for harboring and concealing the boy after he escaped from the Elkhorn Boot Camp in November 2004. The alleged sex and harboring a fugitive occurred in the first half of 2005. All along, Rivera described the boy as a gangbanger with tattoos and claimed she was his captive.

In the latest development, Rivera has accepted a plea deal offered this week by the prosecution which likely will not entail any jail time.

From FresnoBee.com:

Rivera on Tuesday pleaded no contest to being an accessory after the fact -- essentially harboring a fugitive -- which is a felony. She also pleaded to a misdemeanor charge of resisting, obstructing or delaying police.

In exchange, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office dropped charges of unlawful sexual intercourse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge David Gottlieb indicated he will give Rivera two years of probation when he sentences her Sept. 19, and will allow her the opportunity to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor if she successfully completes her probation.

I guess we'll have to wait until next month to see if the judge rules in accordance with the agreement. Gottlieb has the option of giving Rivera up to three years in jail.

However, despite the final ruling, I'd suggest that the entire experience indicates Rivera is probably not cut out to be a teen boot camp officer.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 09/20/06]

Rivera sentenced to probation.