A King County Sheriff’s Deputy who worked out of the Burien Police Department has been charged with raping and sexually exploiting a 17-year-old girl who participated in the department’s Police Explorer Program.
Ricardo Arturo Cueva, 38, of Covington, was charged on Friday, May 30, 2025 in King County Superior Court with one count of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and one count of third-degree rape.
The charges stem from incidents that allegedly occurred between September 2017 and September 2018, while Cueva was in uniform and assigned to the Burien precinct.
According to charging documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the victim was a teenage high school student and aspiring law enforcement officer when she joined the Explorer Program.
Investigators allege that Cueva, who was 15 years older and serving as her supervisor, began grooming her during police ride-alongs and later initiated a sexual relationship.
The teen told detectives she initially trusted Cueva because of his position, but eventually felt pressured and manipulated.
The victim described several encounters that took place while Cueva was on duty, including in a patrol car, as well as incidents at his home near Kent.
One of the most serious allegations involved a form of non-consensual sex, which she said caused her physical pain and bleeding.
Defendant Was 2018 “Officer of the Year”
The case came to light in May, 2025 when the victim confided in a former Explorer, now a King County deputy, about the abuse. She described the difficulty of coming forward, citing Cueva’s charm and reputation, including his 2018 “Officer of the Year” award in Burien.
“He was just so charming, and everybody loved him and thought he was just the best, and like, then behind closed doors, he was doing so many things he wasn’t supposed to be,” the victim said, [and] “lying to his bosses about where he was and what he was doing on these ride-alongs. It just felt like nobody ever saw through it […] And like, you know, he told me that he loved me and you know, how mature and special I was and all that stuff which was just a lie.”
Previously Investigated for Inappropriate Conduct
Cueva, a sworn deputy with over 25 registered firearms, was previously investigated in 2014 for allegedly touching a 10-year-old girl inappropriately, though no charges were filed due to lack of evidence.
Prosecutors cited this history and Cueva’s access to weapons as reasons for requesting $150,000 bail, electronic home detention with GPS monitoring, a sexual assault protection order for the victim, and an order to surrender firearms. He is currently in custody, on administrative leave.
Prosecutors also asked the court to prohibit Cueva from contacting minors, except his biological child, and to bar future criminal activity.
Still Listed as Explorer Program Contact
However, as of Friday, May 30, Cueva was still listed as the main contact on the City of Burien’s Police Explorer Program webpage. The Explorer Program is a national volunteer program directed at young adults between 14 to 21-years-old. It’s meant to give young people the opportunity to engage with law enforcement and learn various things about policing through ride-alongs, classes and scenarios.
The defendant’s next court date is his arraignment on June 12 at the King County Courthouse.
Defendants are innocent until proven guilty in court.
Wow, that’s disgusting, so glad she had the courage to come forward and hopefully there aren’t anymore victims, his name should be removed from that contact list.