EAST MESA JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting For Survivors Sexually Abused at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility in California

Levy Konigsberg is investigating claims of alleged sexual abuse by staff members against minors at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility in California. 

Located in San Diego County, the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility is a high-security complex managed by the San Diego County Probation Department. While the facility is intended to provide rehabilitative services for youth, it has become the subject of intensive legal scrutiny following reports of systemic misconduct. Allegations against the facility include a history of sexual abuse by probation officers, the use of excessive physical force, and a failure to maintain a safe environment for those in custody. These legal actions seek to hold San Diego County accountable for the physical and psychological harm inflicted upon vulnerable youth over several decades.

If you or a loved one was harmed, contact us today.

History of Abuse at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility in California

Examples of alleged abuse, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse, include the following:

• In May 2025, the California Attorney General announced an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of youth at the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Center in San Diego County.

In February 2026, a former facility social worker alleged that a guard smuggled drugs into the facility inside a burrito and distributed them to minors. Some of the youth allegedly required medical treatment after experiencing adverse reactions.

Staff members were accused of allegedly engaging in inappropriate relationships with minors. They also allegedly used excessive force against minors, including beating youth and using pepper spray while they were handcuffed or lying on the floor. 

• In February 2025, over two dozen individuals filed lawsuits against San Diego County, alleging they were sexually abused while minors incarcerated in San Diego juvenile detention centers.  Plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege they were as young as 11 when they were sexually abused by probation officers while in the custody of San Diego County. The lawsuits allege the sexual abuse spanned from 1970 to 2022 and that the abuse occurred almost daily. According to the lawsuits, the sexual abuse often occurred in bathrooms, showers or cells, and if the child did not accept the sexual abuse or reported it, the officers threatened the child with physical harm, death or longer confinement in the facility. The lawsuits allege sexual abuse occurred in San Diego juvenile detention facilities including Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility, East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility, Rancho del Campo, Camp Barrett and Girls Rehabilitation Facility.

• In February 2011, reports alleged that Carlen Sexton, a female supervising county probation officer, repeatedly molested a 17-year-old male detainee at the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other youth residential treatment or juvenile detention center staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any youth residential treatment or juvenile detention facility.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold youth residential treatment facilities,  juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect young residents.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

California Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims are not able to file claims or recover compensation.

Fortunately, California has recognized that the statute of limitations can act as a barrier to justice for sexual abuse survivors, which research has shown can take years or decades to come to terms with their abuse and the damages it had caused. As such, California passed the Child Victims Act in 2019 to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits.

Under the CA Child Victims Act

• Survivors sexually abused as minors can file claims until age 40 (22 years after turning 18)

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating sexual abuse in San Diego youth residential facility or juvenile detention centers. 

Determining the statute of limitations that applies to your case against California youth residential facility or juvenile detention center can be challenging, which is why it is best to bring your matter to the attention of an experienced lawyer.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers and youth residential treatment facilities. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.