Sacramento firefighter charged in El Dorado County on child sex assault charges
A Sacramento city firefighter is in El Dorado County Jail after his arrest on suspicion of multiple charges of child sexual assault across numerous counties, and investigators say they are seeking out additional potential victims.
Adam Kent Blankenship is being held without bail on suspicion of rape at the Placerville facility, where he’s been held since his arrest Wednesday morning at 4500 24th St. — Sacramento Fire Department Station 12 — according to El Dorado County Jail records. Blankenship is on administrative leave while Fire Department officials cooperate with El Dorado authorities and conduct an internal investigation, a department spokesperson said Friday.
Jail records showed Blankenship being held on the single rape allegation, but the detectives’ work that led to Blankenship’s arrest produced a slate of further allegations, the Sheriff’s Office said: illegal recording without consent, digital penetration by force, digital penetration without the ability to consent, attempted rape, sexual battery, and continuous molestation of a child under 14 years.
Court records Saturday showed Blankenship is charged with 15 felony sex charges, each with special allegations of “tying or binding of the victim.” In a brief court appearance Friday, Blankenship entered a not guilty plea to the charges. His next hearing was set to April 21.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said there could be yet more alleged victims involving the resident of Rescue.
“Based on the information and evidence obtained during this investigation, Detectives believe there may be additional victims who have yet to be identified,” the release read.
Sheriff’s officials in a news release said Blankenship had been the subject of a monthlong child sex assault investigation involving multiple allegations in several California counties.
Blankenship was on duty when he was arrested, the Fire Department confirmed, but said the alleged incidents happened while Blankenship was off the clock. Court documents show Blankenship has been employed by the city since 2006 following his honorable discharge from the Coast Guard.
“We are aware of the recent arrest of one of our firefighters, who was on duty on April 9th, 2025,” the Fire Department’s statement read. “While this incident took place during the firefighter’s scheduled work hours, it is important to note that the arrest is related to activities that occurred off duty and not in connection with their role as a member of our department.”
The statement later read that Sacramento Fire Department “take(s) all matters involving our personnel very seriously, regardless of whether they are on or off duty,” adding that it is “fully committed to upholding the highest standards of behavior both in and outside the workplace.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM.
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