Former Sheriff's deputy arrested for possession of child pornography

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- A former Sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of possession of child pornography and an assault weapon, according to law enforcement.

Jose Soto was arrested after San Diego police carried out a search warrant in the 200 block of Beneviana Drive in Chula Vista, the department confirmed. Evidence found during the search prompted his arrest, SDPD said.

"The Sheriff is deeply disappointed and frustrated by the arrest of a former employee," the San Diego Sheriff's Department said in a statement on Soto's arrest. "It is very unfortunate the hard work of so many is overshadowed by an incident such as this."

Soto joined SDSO as a Detentions and Court Services Deputy in 1998, the department said, serving there until he retired in January 2022. He was rehired in a part-time role in September of 2022 and was assigned to the South Bay Courthouse.

He was released from his part-time duties on May 2, 2023, according to the SDSO. The conditions of his release are not known at this time.

In their statement on Soto's arrest, SDSO acknowledged that incidents like this involv...