Riverside County firefighter charged with sexually assaulting three women, DA's Office says
A Riverside County firefighter was charged with sexually assaulting three women on Wednesday, just weeks after he was arrested for allegedly raping someone while on duty at a Temecula fire station, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
David Renteria III, 51, of Placentia, was charged with four counts of forcible rape, two counts of sodomy and one count each of kidnapping to commit rape, forcible oral copulation, assault with intent to commit rape, false imprisonment, sexual battery and indecent exposure, along with sentence-enhancing allegations of targeting multiple victims in sex crimes, the DA's Office said.
He was arrested on April 24, 2026 after the Riverside County Sheriff's Office investigated allegations of a sexual assault stemming from March 2026. While investigating, detectives discovered two alleged victims who said they had been assaulted by Renteria. He was taken into custody without incident when deputies served a search warrant in Placentia, RSO deputies said in a news release at the time.
Renteria made his first court appearance on Wednesday, after having his previous hearing continued from April 28. He was re-arrested on Saturday after initially posting bond in his first arrest.
Renteria's arraignment is scheduled for June 12 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, prosecutors said. He was ordered to remain behind bars in lieu of an increased bail of $7 million.
The District Attorney's Office's criminal filing alleged that a victim, referred to as "D.T.," was assaulted from Oct. 1, 2025, to Oct. 31, 2025, including alleged sodomy and abuse. A second victim, "H.R.," was allegedly assaulted on Nov. 20, 2025, with prosecutors stating that Renteria assaulted and groped the victim.
David Ring, the attorney representing the third alleged victim, said that a claim has been filed against Renteria and Cal Fire, formally known as the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The complaint alleges that Renteria met a victim, referred to by prosecutors as "B.E.," online and invited her to the Riverside County Fire Department Station 96, located on Glen Oaks Road in Temecula, on Nov. 6 2025.
"When Doe arrived at the fire station, Renteria led her to a shed at the back of the station and forcibly assaulted her for an extended period of time," the Ring's statement said. "When Doe said she wanted to go back home to her kids, Renteria threatened to harm her children if she did not comply with his demands."
The complaint further alleged that the assault lasted for over six hours until the victim was released by Renteria. It says that after escaping, the woman reported the incident to a friend, a retired firefighter, who reported the allegations to law enforcement.
The claim also alleges that Cal Fire negligently hired, supervised and retained Renteria.
"This is shocking behavior, particularly from a firefighter on duty – someone who is hired to protect our communities," said Ring in a statement. "Renteria must be held accountable, and CAL FIRE must answer for how this was allowed to happen."
Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department officials told CBS LA at the time of Renteria's arrest that he had been served with administrative time off since Jan. 4, 2026, when they were made aware of allegations. They further noted that they have "fully cooperated" with the RSO investigation and appreciate the department's "ongoing efforts to seek justice."
