Vincent Calvarese, Sheriff's Deputy, Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges

David Elliot Lewis, used with permission

Vincent Calvarese has been a sheriff's deputy since 1994

An alleged domestic violence incident at the Gold's Gym on Market Street concluded with police arresting a sworn sheriff's deputy, who was charged with assault and false imprisonment.

Lieutenant Vincent Calvarese was arrested Thursday evening at the 2301 Market Street gym. District Attorney spokeswoman Stephanie Ong Stillman categorized the incident as a domestic violence case. The purported victim was someone Calvarese "knew and had some sort of relationship with," added Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Susan Fahey. 

The District Attorney is slated to arraign Calvarese on Wednesday, a date that was moved up from Thursday. He was initially charged solely with assault but additional charges of assault with force to cause great bodily injury and false imprisonment were added on Monday. Calvarese has been placed on administrative duty while "the judicial process plays out," says Fahey.

And while domestic violence charges resulted in Calvarese's former boss, Sheriff-in-Limbo Ross Mirkarimi, being removed from his job, that may not happen here.

While Mayor Ed Lee used a provision of the city charter relating to elected officials to force the sheriff from office, Calvarese is not an elected official. Should he be found guilty of the charges, "a disciplinary process will start within the department," Fahey confirmed.

Calvarese, who is openly gay, was profiled in the 2009 documentary The Butch Factor. He has been a sheriff's deputy since 1994.

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