A former Santa Clara County jail guard who prosecutors say helped set up an inmate ambush at the Elmwood men’s facility has been ordered to spend time in a cell himself.
Today, ex-deputy Francisco Izayas Castillo was sentenced to 45 days in jail after a misdemeanor battery conviction tied to a Sept. 21, 2022 attack inside Elmwood’s Module 4C. Judge Brooke Blecher told Castillo to report to custody on June 9, 2026. Prosecutors argued the case shows how a single deputy’s choices can open up deadly gaps in county jail security.
According to The Mercury News, a jury found Castillo guilty on March 13 of misdemeanor battery for his role in the 2022 assault. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office fired him in November 2024. Prosecutors had pushed for a 60-day term, while court records also show that another man, Joseph Hernandez, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery for acting as a lookout. District Attorney Jeff Rosen is quoted in the coverage, calling Castillo’s conduct a betrayal of both the public and the badge…