Sources close to the case tell the ABC7 News I-Team that the removal stems from an unpermitted arbor and barbecue grill Amy Le built at the jail with her own money, but using inmate labor. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain and three others have been charged in connection with a gun permit bribery scheme, District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced Friday. To avoid the perception of impropriety, Jensen said he wont take any financial contributions from employees. Local News | Whats next for the former Frys HQ in San Jose? As the new captain assigned to the West Valley patrol division, Im committed to the legacy weve built here in the city of Cupertino, he said. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations. Nagaye opposes the creation of a new jail, although she does support the creation of a new mental health facility to better meet the needs of mentally ill inmates. A former manager for a security company who implicated a Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain and others in an alleged bribery scheme to trade political donations supporting the sheriff in exchange for concealed-carry weapons has testified in the civil corruption trial . Whats next for the former Frys HQ in San Jose? Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Christian West, left, the former CEO and Founder of the security company AS Solution is photographed outside of the Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. West pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. MILPITAS, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain Amy Le got walked off the job at Elmwood Jail this past Friday in tears, her badge and county vehicle taken away. Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Jensen later instructed AS Solutions Inc. to have their executive protection agents falsify the names of their employer on their CCW applications, and for those agents living outside the county, to falsify their addresses as well, according to the indictment. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. A sheriff's captain was among four people indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy charges as part of an election campaign scandal tied to Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, the District Attorney's Office said Friday. The $45,000 personal check, which Nielsen gave to Schumb -- the PSA's assistant treasurer -- represented more than half of the funds raised by the organization prior to the election that year. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. I haven't been provided any evidence at this point, but broadly speaking I believe that all of the folks involved were legally able to obtain the permits. The investigation found that weeks after the scheme was hatched, the conspirators settled on a $90,000 "donation" in exchange for 10 to 12 CCW licenses. about the scheme. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group;. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. I will let people know this department is going to be run based on performance and rewards for performance.. Rosen noted that any average member of the public applying for a CCW license in accordance with the instructions on the Sheriff's Office website would not have their application reviewed. I would love to serve in that role.. If convicted, all four defendants could face prison time. Smiths tenure as sheriff has been marred by scandals and political investigations. Rosen did say that his office had reviewed phone and computer records and interviewed dozens of witnesses to determine whether there had been communication between Jensen and the Sheriff regarding the bribery scheme. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen remained on track Wednesday to be elected Santa Clara County's next sheriff. CBS. The culture of management can no longer be one of fear and intimidation.. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. Santa Clara County sheriff faces grand jury accusation, no plea yet, Former opponent challenges embattled Santa Clara County sheriff, UPDATE: Santa Clara County pursues investigation of sheriff, Helen Chapman fights to save San Joses open space, Bejarano: Why I quit my East San Jose school board, Out of work: Beloved San Jose reverend faces uphill climb, Silicon Valley students stranded by shuttered schools, San Jose legislator wants to raise foster age. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Santa Clara County is getting a new sheriff for the first time in more than two decades, following Laurie Smiths decision to not run for a seventh term. Prior to being elected as the 29th Sheriff of Santa Clara County, he was the Chief of Police for Palo Alto Police Department (2018-2022). We are a bit troubled by the words overwhelmingly and unanimously (and others) when it comes to any voting. Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. August 10, 2016 at 12:02 p.m. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Capt. DA Jeff Rosen alleged conspirators solicited $90,000 in campaign contributions for Sheriff Laurie Smiths political campaign in exchange for 10-12 concealed carry gun permits MORE @nbcbayarea. Isnt that what Sheriff Laurie Smith had/has been saying? Ricardo "Rich" Urena has been tapped to replace . Santa Clara County Sheriffs Captain James Jensen among 4 people indicted by grand jury yesterday according to DA Jeff Jensen @nbcbayarea. Then I suggest you educate other voters so more people are aware. Emergency Contact Information . . Donors accounted for fewer than 4% of all CCW applicants over that time period, but constituted about 35% of those awarded permits, according to the records. "Our concern is not whether the Sheriff grants many or few CCW licenses, but whether they are being granted or denied for the wrong reasons," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a press release. Related Articles Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. There were 44 reported burglaries from January to October of 2021, while 59 burglaries were reported in the same time period in 2022. Sean Allen. A grand jury has indicted Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung and added an additional indictment against a captain linked to a concealed weapons permit scandal that has rocked the Sheriff's . Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. For a look at more stories and videos by the ABC7 News I-Team go here. "If she's doing something that's unfair and unjust, she owes it to this community to step down," said Moore. Urena will oversee a division that serves the communities of Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and unincorporated areas of the county, bringing 14 years of experience into the role. Jensen advised Nielsen to instruct AS Solution employees who were not residents of Santa Clara County to use local corporate addresses as their residence addresses in their applications. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. But the approval rate skyrockets for the 28 applicants who either gave campaign cash to Sheriff Laurie Smith directly or where a family member or employer donated. At a Cupertino City Council meeting on Aug. 2, Ken Binder, former division commander, introduced Urena and described him as an experienced officer, ready for the new role. As police chief in Palo Alto, Jonsen said hes helped the city implement a program that partners behavioral health workers with police officers to respond to psychiatric emergencies. All of these people do not feel safe, and they feel threatened, Nagaye told San Jos Spotlight. Im the only candidate who has experience from a large sheriff organization as well as municipalities, and that diversity will serve me well, Jonsen told San Jos Spotlight, adding that his great-great uncle served as sheriff in Santa Clara County in 1870. Source: https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf. she can't talk freely, then she needs to step down," Hirokawa said. After Smith won that race, she promoted Le to captain. The second half of the payment was forestalled by the DA investigation. Photo courtesy of Kevin Jensen. I think its a trend that were seeing, property crimes increasing, now that were going back to work, Valenzuela said. I feel the right person for the job is not the smoothest talking person that sounded good. it's safer than driving," said Marin County Fire Captain Matt Watson. County Sheriff's Captain, Prominent Lawyer Charged with Gun Permit Bribery Scheme. Nagaye, 51, has served in the Sheriffs Office for 20 years, with the last seven as a supervising sergeant. Like his opponents, Jensen said hes concerned about the lack of transparency in the office, which he blames on Smiths managerial style. Between 2014 and 2018, 749 Santa Clara County residents applied for a new CCW permit, according to records provided by the sheriffs department. Thats why his chances a slim. Capt. Jail reform is one of the key issues in the Sheriff's race, pitting former Palo Alto Police Chief Bob Jonsen against former . If convicted could get 11 years in prison. Jonsen said he has experience stabilizing organizations bleeding staff, noting he helped staunch the flow of people leaving the Menlo Park and Palo Alto police departments, in part by raising salaries to a competitive level. However, if you are in the words of sheriff's Captain James Jenson a VIP, then he will meet you at Starbucks, personally review your application and help you fill it out. As a lieutenant, Le was the first female president of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Correctional Peace Officers Association, and steered the union's endorsement to Sheriff Laurie Smith this past election. The exact terms of the deal were hammered out later that month, according to the indictment, when Nielsen and West met with Jensen, Nahal, and Nichols at a San Jose Jamba Juice and agreed upon an exchange of 10-to-12 CCW licenses for a $90,000 donation to Smith's campaign. A Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain, a gun parts manufacturer, and two local lawyers - one a prominent political backer - have been indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy charges. The $45,000 personal check, which Nielsen handed to the PSA's assistant treasurer, Schumb, represented more than half of the funds raised by the PSA before the election that year. Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Reggie Cooks said he couldn't disclose why that happened and offered the following official response: "In . "If you made a campaign donation and if Captain Jensen knew you to be a VIP, then you got special treatment and you got a CCW license," Rosen said. Sources have told this news organization that Nielsen a central figure in the scheme, who wrote the $45,000 check that touched off the investigation after Smith was re-elected in 2018 cooperated with investigators early on. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A contender for the top law enforcement job in Santa Clara County has won a coveted endorsement. FILE - Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith walks to a news conference in Cupertino, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011. He replaces Capt. We know Kevin Jensen as a person and we understand his leadership qualities, Ryan Elder, president of the association, told San Jos Spotlight. In an interview described in testimony from DA investigator Mike Montonye, Jensen said he received direction from Sung, the undersheriff, in brokering the illicit deal. Prosecutors allege that Nielsen and West were connected to Jensen by Schumb, Nahal and Nichols to get $90,000 split between the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance whose assistant treasurer was Schumb, a veteran South Bay litigator and the Sheriffs Advisory Board. With all of the county's 754 precincts reporting as of 5 p.m. Wednesday,. Reach him the low-tech way at 408-920-5002. Daily Post Staff Writer. Saratoga hosts LAW-tes and Coffee with a Cop events to keep the community engaged with the Sheriffs Office, Valenzuela said. Ex-CEO of security firm pleads guilty in Santa, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Ex-CEO of security firm pleads guilty in Santa Clara County gun-permit bribery case, Sheriff and undersheriff plead the Fifth, supervisor blames bad memory in Santa Clara County gun-permit probe, Ex-CEO of security firm charged in Santa Clara County sheriff concealed-gun permit bribery case, Four indicted in Santa Clara County Sheriff concealed gun permit scandal, Big donor to Santa Clara County sheriffs campaign was issued rare concealed gun permit. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. The DA's Office said it is continuing to investigate additional crimes and individuals in relation to the issuing of CCW licenses. "My concern is not whether the sheriff grants many or few CCW licenses, but whether they are being granted or denied for the wrong reasons," Rosen said. "The DA's office is continuing to investigate more crimes and more individuals related to Sheriff Smith's issuance of CCW licenses. He may be contacted at 408-868-6612 or email at email Rich Urena. The second half of the agreed-upon donation amount wasstymied by the DA investigation, authorities said. Earlier this year, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit analyzed five years' worth of data and found that donors to Smith's political campaigns were about 14 times more likely to get a concealed weapons permit than those who did not contribute. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters told San Jos Spotlight Colton is a registered voter in the county, and submitted a signed declaration swearing she meets the requirements of the position. ALL RIGHT K J!!!!! Local News | The 16-page indictment, which you can read here , lays out each defendant's alleged role in the scheme to secure a massive campaign contribution for Smith in exchange for concealed gun permits. Allen said in his first 100 days in office he wants to meet with every politician in the county and glean ideas about how to improve his office. Three other AS Solution security employees at the time who got permits Leonard Lawrence, Rachael Paskvan and Jonathan Taunton were also described as listing home addresses or non-AS employers on their applications, and have not been charged. She is now on paid . Oakland police investigating spate of shootings that left one dead, five wounded Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced Friday that four people -- including a Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain -- have been indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy charges in a scheme tied to Sheriff Laurie Smith's reelection campaign. We believe that working with the community, together we achieve great things and Im hoping to carry on that tradition and continue to provide the city of Cupertino with the best law enforcement services that we can.. If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. We have seen such words used when the City Council has voted. Before that, he was chief of police in Menlo Park for five years. I will always remember my oath to protect and servethat will be my ultimate oath, and thats why Im running for sheriff.. Rich Urena, who will head the Sheriffs Offices Detective Division. Known for. End of an era: San Jose antique shops could disappear, Robes, candles and chants: South Bay official in hot water over religious ceremony, Proposed tax law threatens billions in San Jose funding. No other candidate mentioned the Constitution. When I got my prints taken here, it was my third fingerprinting in probably ten months, as all my jobs involve(d) either working with minors or with school districts that serve minors. I worked with S. Allen at Elmwood (I am nurse). Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. When it comes to enforcing the law, which is to say enforcing the Constitution for the United States of America, the Sheriff, being the Chief Law Enforcement Officer, answers to We the People The County Sheriff is a Constitutional Officer elected by the People and bound by oath as guardian of the Peoples unalienable rights secured by the Constitution. Christine Nagaye wants to transform theoffice into a national role model. He is unlikely to be any better than the current Sherriff. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! She is also a veteran, having served for five years as a combat medic and training officer in the army. Besides sketching out the donation-for-permits plan, he surreptitiously recorded a conversation with Jensen using a DA-provided phone app, at a meeting just days before the corruption probe became public knowledge when search warrants were served at the sheriffs office. NIchols owns a company called The Gun Co., which manufactures firearms parts. The Civil Warrants Division serves Civil process in the manner prescribed by law. They could spend time in prison if they are convicted. Jensen is competing with three other candidates: sheriff Sgt. 2 brothers found guilty of murdering groom at California wedding party MILPITAS, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain Amy Le got walked off the job at Elmwood Jail this past Friday in tears, her badge and county vehicle taken away. Office Hours. Allen says he stands out from his opponents because hes spent much of his career openly criticizing the office. Transcripts show the county supervisor blamed a chronically bad memory for his inability to recall whether he fulfilled the proficiency requirements. Election 2022 candidates for Santa Clara County Sheriff: retired Palo Alto police chief Bob Jonsen (left) and retired sheriff's captain Kevin Jensen. You do the math. Multiple sources said the year-long investigation has centered on accusations of the sheriff's office favoring people who apply for a concealed weapons permit if they donated to Smith's reelection campaigns. Allen was firm, fair and integrity was not an issue. Its going to be an easy election for voters to choosetheyre either going to choose somebody in the organization, or theyre going to choose for change, Jonsen said. If they dont get this then they are oblivious and are incapable of doing a good job if elected. An inquiry from the Metro Silicon Valley weekly about executive security licensing and an extremely large campaign donation -- which was reported in public filings -- spurred the DA to start an investigation shortly after the general election in 2018. 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His command experience includes serving as the assistant director of the protective services department at Valley Medical Center, the assistant division commander of the investigations division and the division commander of the court security division. Allowing her team to continually bully and brutalize mentally challenged inmates is disgusting. She is a San Jose State University alumna and enjoys hiking and camping in her spare time. I will not vote for him for Sheriff. Urena told the council that he is prepared to take on the challenge. Nielsen testified at a grand jury hearing July 21 that he and West met with sheriff officials and discussed offering donations and other payments with the hopes of getting bulk CCW applications approved. There are some very strong advocates for changes in the jail system, and Im among them, Jensen said. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. We were all stuck at home for COVID, and we didnt have really any kind of property crime because everyone was home. If the Sheriff lacks a full understanding of the Constitution it would stand to reason that he is vulnerable to violation of his oath. The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. Shes concerned about declining morale in the office,notingstaffing levels are lowwhich means many employees work mandatory overtime, separating them from their families. 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