SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, September 28 that charges were filed against San Francisco Sheriff’s Deputy Dominic Barsetti.
“The allegations in this case are outrageous, and particularly troubling coming from someone we entrusted to wear a star and uniform. We will hold Deputy Barsetti accountable for his actions,” said District Attorney Boudin. “This case involves not only weapons, threats, and vandalism, but also sexual misconduct.”
Deputy Barsetti was charged four counts of felony criminal threats (Penal Code Section 422); one count of misdemeanor vandalism (Penal Code Section 594(b)(1); two counts of simple battery (Penal Code Section 242) and one count of misdemeanor sexual battery (Penal Code Section 243.4(e)(1).
On September 23, at approximately 10:15 p.m., officers with the San Francisco Police Department responded to a 911 call of a man threatening to shoot people with a gun in the Park Merced area. When officers arrived on the scene, they spoke with witnesses who told them that that the suspect—later identified as Dominic Barsetti, an off-duty deputy with the SFSD attended a potluck at their apartment earlier in the evening.
During the event, Barsetti allegedly sexually assaulted an 18 year-old victim by grabbing her inappropriately and pulling her hair. When confronted by the others, he picked up a guitar and began swinging it around the apartment, ripping down a curtain, damaging a bookcase, and breaking a tank containing a large lizard. It is alleged that Barsetti, who had shown the victims his collection of handguns earlier in the day, threatened to get his gun and shoot each one of them. He returned to his apartment, and two of the victims fled, fearing for their lives.
Officers took Barsetti was taken into custody without incident. He appeared to have slurred speech and showed signs of intoxication. Officers executing a search warrant on his home found 3 handguns, several magazines of ammunition, and an inert hand grenade. Those weapons were all confiscated.His arraignment was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on September 28.
