Bond was set at $300,000 Tuesday for a former DuPage County deputy sheriff assigned to the Corrections Bureau accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a female prisoner, authorities said.
Ricardo Hardy, 52, of the 3600 block of Congressional Parkway, Elgin, is charged with five counts of custodial sexual misconduct and five counts of official misconduct, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.
Hardy, who served as a DuPage County deputy sheriff assigned to the DuPage County Jail, was terminated from his position on May 15.
On at least two occasions, beginning on March 13 through April 26, Hardy and the prisoner allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts in the prisoner’s cell as well as a shower/bathroom area, according to the release.
Hardy allegedly arranged for $300 to be put on the prisoner’s commissary account. On May 10, after receiving information regarding these allegations, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office contacted the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, who opened an investigation into the matter.
Five days later, on May 15, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Hardy. Following the charges, Judge Brian Telander issued a $500,000 arrest warrant for Hardy. He was taken into custody the same day from his home without incident.
“It is alleged that a deputy sheriff assigned to corrections, who obviously held a position of authority over his victim, used that position to engage in sexual activities with a prisoner,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “This alleged betrayal of the public trust will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force and effect of the law. I would like to emphasize that the allegations against Mr. Hardy are in no way indicative of the outstanding work done by Corrections Bureau employees day in and day out.”
“The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for this type of behavior,” DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in the release. “We will take immediate action against any employee who does not maintain the highest standards of professional conduct.”
Hardy’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 12 for arraignment.