LA Times: Orange County Sheriff Indicted on Federal Corruption Charges

A reader just alerted me to this LA Times article which was just published a few minutes ago on the paper's website.  I'm not sure what to make of this newest development in the ongoing legal drama surrounding the Sheriff and his activities, but since the LA Times has a history of going after Mike Carona, we all should hold off judgment, at least until this indictment is made available to the public.

O.C. SHERIFF CARONA INDICTED

By Christine Hanley, H.G. Reza and Paul Pringle.  October 30, 2007

Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona has been indicted on federal corruption charges stemming from a lengthy investigation into allegations that he misused his office for financial gain, law enforcement officials said Monday.

The indictment, filed under seal, is expected to be made public soon, perhaps as early as Tuesday, officials said.

You can read the rest of this article by clicking on the hyperlink above.

Comments

[Reserve Deputy]

Just days before the increased training requirements became law on July 1, 1999, Michael S. Carona, as Sheriff of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, submitted the names of 86 persons to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) for appointment as Orange County Sheriff’s Department Level III Reserve Deputies and inclusion in the statewide database of sworn peace officers.

A routine compliance inspection was performed by POST in April 2001 and it was discovered that none of these 86 reserve deputy sheriffs had undergone background checks prior to being appointed as reserve deputy sheriffs. Sheriff Carona was notified of this non-compliance in two letters from POST dated May 20, 2001 and September 19, 2001, each signed by Russ Kindermann, Senior Consultant with the POST Administrative Services Bureau.

After one year of discussions between POST and Sheriff Carona, the names of these 86 persons were eventually removed from the state’s database of peace officers.

Notwithstanding the POST action, Sheriff Carona persisted in the position that he, not POST, should be permitted to determine background suitability of his 86 friends and campaign supporters. And the is evidence that Sheriff Corona’s application of background investigation standards has been inconsistently applied, to the detriment of the entire California law enforcement community and the people of the State of California.

By letter dated June 21, 2002 from the POST Executive Director Kenneth J. O’Brien, Carona was notified that he had violated the law by appointing 86 Level III reserve deputy sheriffs who were not legally qualified to be appointed as peace officers:

"In April 2001, during a routine compliance inspection of your background files and training records, POST staff discovered that 86 Level III reserve deputy sheriffs had been appointed without any form of background investigation as required by law." June 21, 2002 Letter of Kenneth J. O’Brien, Executive Director of POST, page 1.

In addition to lacking background checks, the letter from POST’s Executive Director went on to document that over half were not properly trained in firearms and only one the 86 reserve deputies had received the proper Level III reserve officer training:

"As you know, Level III reserve officers appointed on or after July 1, 1999, are required to complete a PC 832 Arrest and Firearms course (64-hours) and a Level III Part-2 course (98-hours) before being assigned to enforcement duties. POST records indicate that 28 of the 86 individuals who were appointed to a Level III reserve position have completed a PC 832 Arrest and Firearms course, and 58 individuals have not completed the full PC 832 course. Further, our records indicate that only one of the 86 appointees has completed the Level III Part-2 (98-hours) training course." June 21, 2002 Letter of Kenneth J. O’Brien, Executive Director of POST, page 2.

On July 19, 2002, Carona formally appealed the POST decision in writing. This appeal was denied by POST and a brief history of this controversy was recited in the August 6, 2002 letter from the POST Executive Director:

"The compliance audit of April 2001 by POST revealed that no background investigations had been completed on the 86 Level III reserve officers prior to their June 1999 appointments. Hence, their appointments were improper and their names were removed from the post database…" August 6, 2002 Letter of Kenneth J. O’Brien, Executive Director of POST, page 4.

Three (3) years after the POST response rejecting the contentions made in Sheriff Carona’s appeal letter, in July, 2005, Sheriff Carona attempted to renew his appeal to deputize his friends and campaign supporters. This renewed interest in obtaining peace officer certification for his friends and campaign supporters arose shortly after Sheriff Carona announced that he would be running for a third term as Orange County Sheriff.

This is just the beginning of the story. Stay tuned for more. But in the meantime, call your County Supervisor to urge them to immediately cut off the private attorney services from Martin Mayer that the Board of Supervisors has given Carona. It is important that the County of Orange not allow its funds to be used to defend Carona from the federal indictment. Carona brought these charges on himself and he is required to use his own funds to pay for his defense.

[The truth]

What does Jon Fleischman have to say?

[The Truth]

As Carona's one-time professional spinmeister, Fleischman's credibility as a GOP consultant is on the line.

His Flashreport blog - whoch has degenerated into nothing more than a scheme to sell ad space to a point where the layout looks like a circus - now is suspect itself as a source for news.

Then again, anyone who turns to the "Flash" for news deserves what they get. After all, immediatley prior to Fleischman's gig with the corrupt Carona, he was ED of the CRP.

That year we lost three legislative seats, five Congressiobal seats, the GOP presidential ticket lost by a million votes, and our US Senate nominee went down in flames.

You reap what you sew.

Larry Welborn and Peggy Lowe over at the Register have more. Check it out...

Jaramillo Cooperates with Feds over Investigation: Ex-sheriff's assistant and one time friend of Mike Carona secretly pleaded guilty in March to two federal charges.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/jaramillo-carona-sheriff-1912331-agreement-plea

[I Told You So Just Don't Cut It, Ya Know...]

Someboday call Bill Hunt and see what he's up to these days...

[Art Pedroza]

This news is better than winning the lottery!

[Allan Bartlett]

How sad. We all knew this day was probably coming. What an embarrassment to himself & the county.

[curious]

What happen to the Carona Chronicles website?

[redperegrine]

Looking the other way is becoming a full-time job.

[Now What]

If Carona has to step down, who becomes Sheriff?

[Shame on us!]

We OC Republicans have no one to blame but ourselves. It is high time we clean house and rid the party of the corrupt, self-dealing cabal of elected officials, Party chairmen, consultants, operatives, pollsters, fundraisers, and hucksters. We all know the names and we all aware of their flawed characters. Yet we extend our money and support because they have an (R) next to their name; because it's not cool to challenge another Republican. Well wake up folks. In the end, character always trumps political ideology.

[Schroeder's Finished]

The best news here is that Mike Schroeder is finished, done, toast!

An embarrassing indictment of Carona is sure to have, and "should have," a ripple effect on his "endorsement credibility."

We should all be thinking twice and questioning the endorsements that Carona, his political advisor and attorney, Schroeder, and Fleischman have "encouraged" - like the "encouraged, unquestioned" support of "Mimi Walters" for the termed-out Ackerman state senate seat.

The post from "Shame on us!" tells it like it is - time to wake up on these characters "and their endorsements."

[Seneca]

I heard this indictment was delivered with the option of a plea deal. Apperntly there is eveidence to implicate not only other associates of Corona such as Heidl but even his wife.

My sources say the indictment is concerned with campaign finance and tax evasion, but I guess we will all know soon when it is unsealed.

[Milk Man]

Jack Anderson would make a good replacement if Mike Carona decides to step down under pressure.

The Board of Supervisors would not appoint Bill Hunt nor Ralph Martin as Sheriff.

[Pepin]

Hey Art, why are you happy at other people's misery?

[Another OC Taxpayer]

Great. Another Carona Hangover for the Taxpayers of O.C.

[misery?]

i can't speak for art, but i'm thrilled.. THRILLED that there's a light at the end of the filthy little sheriff's tunnel.

it ain't misery, it good for the county.

[Rose]

It appears that this is the second Orange County Sheriff who has been under scrutiny for alleged wrongdoing. The last one was even sued for sexual harassment and other unethical acts as reported in the news prior to his retirement after the last lawsuit was filed. Again, if you can't trust your attorney or the judge or the Sheriff's and police who are hitting the news as well in abusive incidents and God is being kicked out of office in this country then I guess we're left to fend for ourselves as both democrats and republicans continue on a downhill slide in a pit of immorality and greed, power, control, and inappropriate sexual behaviors. Shame on us and Shame on them!