Placer deputy arrested for forcible rape, sodomy

This story was updated at 7:50 a.m. July 3, 2023. The Placer County Sheriff's Office reported a second deputy was arrested Friday on suspicion of forcible rape and sodomy of an intoxicated person. The Sheriff's Office confirmed it learned of and began investigating allegations against Wes Montz of Rocklin on March 14. Montz was placed on administrative leave and the Sheriff's Office submitted its investigation to the Placer County District Attorney for review and filing of charges. Montz was the second Placer deputy to be arrested in three days. Jon Patrick Persinger, 44, of Rocklin was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of soliciting prostitution and then terminated from his position. According to the Sheriff's Office, the investigation revealed two victims who were confirmed to be in a dating relationship with Montz. Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo provided the following statement: "There is absolutely no tolerance for misconduct from employees at the Sheriff's Office. This incident is not a representation of the culture we have worked so hard to maintain. We uphold our core values to the highest degree and any misconduct that meets the threshold for criminal prosecution will be dealt with as such. We have already reported these findings to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training under Senate Bill 2. The men and women of this agency work tirelessly to ensure the citizens of Placer County receive first-class service, and I will accept nothing less. The honor and respect that comes with wearing the badge should not be taken lightly, and moving forward, we will be re-evaluating our hiring process to ensure only the highest quality people are selected to represent the sheriff's office." The Sheriff's Office confirmed Montz remains on administrative leave while its internal investigation continues and was booked into the South Placer Jail on no bail June 30. As of Monday, no in-custody information was located for Montz.