SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - More women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against a San Diego County Sheriff's Department deputy.
That deputy is currently on paid administrative leave stemming from reports of misconduct made by at least three other women, according to a lawyer representing the alleged victims.
All the women who have come forward have claimed that SDSO deputy Richard Fischer groped them while he was on duty in incidents dating back to November 2015; but one of the latest victims says the lawman took it further than that.
When reached at his El Cajon home Tuesday, Fischer said he couldn't comment on the claims made against him.
But Dan Gilleon - the attorney representing six of Fisher's alleged victims - is speaking out saying his clients want their voices heard.
"All of my clients are very much happy that we're bringing this forward because they were trying to sweep it under the rug at the sheriff's department," he said.
A 61-year-old woman says Fischer responded to her home after she called to report a domestic violence incident and he allegedly tried to comfort her saying "I think you need a hug."
"And he does that, full embrace - then he he grabs her buttocks and squeezes both of her buttocks," said Gilleon.
Gilleon says Fischer took it one step further grabbing the woman's hand and forcing her to touch his genitals.
"That's a criminal that's been progressively getting worse and worse because he's he's been getting away with it," Gilleon said.
According to Gilleon, there are similarities between the woman's story and the other women who have already come forward. In multiple cases, women said that Fischer responded to calls at their homes and would leave and then return and say he needed to use the restroom. Multiple women said he would then hug them without consent and grope them while they were alone in their home.
"There's two of them where he went to a legitimate call, found out the woman was alone and then an hour later, returned," said Gilleon.
In at least two cases, the women were handcuffed in the back of his patrol vehicle.
News 8 spoke to one of Fischer's accusers earlier this month.
"He fondled my breast," she said. "He rubbed his arm up and down on my breast."
Regarding these allegations, a sheriff's spokesperson said in part:
"The Department placed Deputy Fischer on an administrative assignment and initiated concurrent administrative and criminal investigations immediately upon learning of the first allegation which was received in late October 2017. The Department did not receive a complaint regarding these allegations prior to this. Deputy Fischer is currently on administrative leave while the department conducts a thorough investigation of each complaint. The Department is prohibited by law from releasing specific details of personnel investigations. However, allegations of this nature are taken very seriously and the Department will take any appropriate actions at the conclusion of the investigation."
Gilleon disputes that, saying some of the women reported Fischer but nothing was done.
Now they they're looking to sue for millions.
"I think he's going to be doing some time," said Gilleon.
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