Joseph Allen Baker Booking Photo

Joseph A. Baker Sentenced to 12 Years for Assaulting a Peace Officer

Author: District Attorney's Office
Date: 8/30/2018 4:51:46 PM

Joseph Allen Baker (28) was sentenced today to 12 years in state prison for assaulting a Correctional Deputy while housed at the San Luis Obispo County Jail.


“The callous and unprovoked assault of a Deputy Sheriff in this case more than justifies the substantial prison sentence imposed.  This incident highlights the significant danger associated with corrections work,” said District Attorney Dan Dow.   “Our office stands ready to aggressively prosecute all such crimes in order to better ensure the safety of law enforcement, civilian personnel, and the inmate population.” 

On March 6, 2018, while serving a jail sentence for resisting arrest, assault and false imprisonment, inmate Joseph Allen Baker (DOB 05/27/1990) attacked a Correctional Deputy at the San Luis Obispo County Jail.  The attack occurred as inmate Baker was being moved from one part of the facility to another and resulted in the correctional deputy suffering a broken nose, fractured orbital bone, and nine stitches to his cheek area.

On August 29, 2018, inmate Baker pled no contest to felony assault upon a custodial officer (PC241.1), and admitted to personally inflicting great bodily injury on the victim.  Baker also admitted to having a prior serious felonyconviction for criminal threats, an enhancement under California’s Three Strikes Law.   Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Duffy sentenced inmate Baker to 12 years in state prison.

The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office's Crimes Against Peace Officers Unit led by Deputy District Attorney Kristy Imel.

Please direct all media inquiries towards ADA Eric Dobroth at 805.781.5800.