The Region : 5 Ex-Deputies, 6th Man Charged in Rape

Five former San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies and a sixth man have been charged with raping a 17-year-old female Explorer Scout who worked at the Victorville sheriff’s station. Deputy Sheriff Ronnie Lynn Wimberly, 30, was charged with forcible rape, assault with intent to commit rape and sexual battery for an incident that reportedly occurred on Feb. 14, Sheriff’s Department officials said. Former deputies Robert Mason Swindle, 31, James Bradley Dawson, 37, William Abernathie Jr., 28, and Timothy Ray Retzlaff, 27, were charged with statutory rape for allegedly having sex with a female under 18 years of age in incidents that reportedly occurred over a two-year period, sheriff’s spokesman Jim Bryant said. A sixth man, Rex Lair, 26, also was charged with statutory rape. Warrants were issued for the arrests of the six men.