A Larimer County Jail deputy has been charged with assault after forcefully pushing an inmate to the ground earlier this month.

Ricardo Gurrola was issued a summons for third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, on Friday, according to a news release from Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

The incident transpired on Feb. 9 after a female inmate who was booked into the jail on domestic violence charges entered a part of the jail where she was prohibited, according to the sheriff's office. Gurrola directed her to return to the correct area, but she did not comply and he "forcefully pushed her into a cell, where she fell to the ground," according to the news release.

The inmate sustained minor injuries, sheriff's office spokesman David Moore told the Coloradoan.

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Jail staff reported the incident to supervisors immediately, which resulted in criminal and internal investigations into Gurrola's actions. Gurrola, who was hired as a jail deputy in June 2017, was placed on paid administrative leave.

The summons was issued after investigators met with the district attorney's office and decided to charge Gurrola with assault.

"Maintaining order and discipline in jails is a very difficult task," Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said in a statement shared in the news release. "Deputies are routinely confronted with disruptive and dangerous behavior inside our jail."

"Statutes grant deputies authority to use reasonable and necessary force to maintain order," Smith continued. "The use of force in this incident was not clear cut and created concerns for our office, so the appropriate investigations have been initiated. We will hold out making judgments until these processes have been completed."

The internal investigation into the incident is ongoing. As of about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Gurrola's criminal case was not listed in online court records.

When asked about Gurrola's career with the jail, Moore said he could not release personnel information but confirmed the deputy "met all of our hiring requirements."

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All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

Brooklyn Dance covers breaking news and K-12 education. Contact her at bdance@coloradoan.com or on Twitter @hibrookIyn.