Corrections officer charged with sexually abusing 15-year-old inmate

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VENTURA, Calif. - A corrections officer at a Camarillo facility has been charged with sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl he was responsible for supervising, the Ventura County District Attorney's office announced Wednesday.

Azzan Sandhu faces nine charges over the alleged abuse, including seven counts of committing a lewd act on a child, one count of using a child for the creation of child sexual abuse material, and one count of communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a sex offense. Because of Sandhu's role as a corrections officer, each of these charges carries a special allegation that he abused his power.

Sandhu pleaded not guilty to all nine counts at an arraignment Wednesday.

Sanhu is a correctional officer at the Ventura Youth Corrections Facility in Camarillo. He's accused of assaulting one of the 15-year-old inmates at the facility at least seven times between December 2022 and February 2023, and also of using his personal cell phone to create child sexual abuse material with the girl.

Sandhu will have an early disposition conference on April 25, and remains in custody on $1 million bail.