TMZ Sports: Ex-Stanford swimmer convicted of rape in protective custody in jail

Brock Turner -- the ex-Stanford swimmer convicted of rape -- has been placed in protective custody while serving his sentence at Santa Clara County Jail to keep him safe from inmates who might harm him, TMZ Sports has learned.

TMZ Sports spoke with a representative for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, who confirmed Turner is being held in an area away from the general inmate population, and will have a deputy escort whenever he moves around the grounds.

He will be exposed to other inmates -- but only ones in "protective custody" -- which include people convicted of sexual assault, LGBT inmates and gang dropouts.

"They're kept totally separate so they aren't harmed," the representative told TMZ Sports.

TMZ Sports is told Turner's "protective custody" status is NOT due to the fact his case is so high-profile -- but rather because he was convicted of sexual assault, and those type of inmates are often targeted.

Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to six months in county jail for raping a 23-year-old woman on the Stanford campus in 2015. With good behavior he could be out by September.