In July 2025, the Riverside Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) began investigating a Menifee Police Department officer after being contacted by the department about a sexual assault allegation. The officer, Juan Pesina, 31, of Menifee, was accused of sexually assaulting a victim during an on-duty investigation.
During the investigation, additional victims were identified in incidents that occurred in Riverside County between 2023 and 2024. Investigators found that Pesina encountered these victims both while on and off duty.
On August 12, 2025, SVU investigators, with help from the Riverside Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, arrested Pesina at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. He was taken into custody without incident. Authorities executed search warrants at his residence in Menifee and at his workplace, where they found more evidence related to the case. Pesina was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on several felony charges including rape, sodomy, and forced oral copulation.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and no additional details are available at this time,” according to information released by authorities.
The Riverside Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit has stated that there may be more victims and is asking anyone with information about this case to contact Master Investigator J. Andrade at (951) 955–1701 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951–776–1099.
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