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Im the candidate that brings the fresh perspective and greatest opportunity for change.. In addition to conspiracy and bribery charges, Jensen is accused of falsifying public records. If convicted could get 11 years in prison. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. She resigned as sheriff on . Rosen said his office's probe was triggered by a San Jose Inside article focusing on a large 2018 contribution to Smith's campaign. So I can ask them about the SJ Search and Rescue team and how we can support the new sherriff. Command Staff - Office of the Sheriff - County of Santa Clara Santa Clara County sheriff candidate secures key endorsement She has been working for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers since 2015. Sources close to the case tell the I-Team's Dan Noyes the removal stems from an unpermitted arbor and barbecue grill Le built at the jail with her own money, but using inmate labor. Le apparently ran into trouble when her superiors did not like her project, and when they learned she didn't have a building permit. Sheriff Smith has consistently declined to comment on year-and-a-half-long probe. And Captain Jenson will even wave the mandated gun testing at a gun range," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. 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. He is unlikely to be any better than the current Sherriff. 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. After submitting 7 CCW license applications to Jensen at a meeting, AS Solution manager Martin Nielsen donated the first half of that amount to the Santa Clara County. 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. ", According to the indictment, the alleged criminal activity began in April 2018 with a text from Nichols to attorney Harpaul Nahal, saying, "I need you to meet my buddy that runs the Facebook Executive protection team, followed by: its a potential $50K. Nagayes major endorsement is from the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, and she says she has strong support among deputies and residents. He became captain in 2004 and retired in 2013. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. Santa Clara County sheriff's captain among 4 indicted on felony bribery As of January, shes raised $8,400. To address the offices transparency, Nagaye said she would provide the Board of Supervisors and Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring with all materials that have been requested. Allen has received endorsements fromReverend Jeff Moore, former president of the Silicon Valley NAACP, and several retired sheriff employees. "The DA's office is continuing to investigate more crimes and more individuals related to Sheriff Smith's issuance of CCW licenses. A retired Santa Clara County sheriffs captain who ran for office in 2014 and lost, Kevin Jensen believes he has the momentum to take the seat. 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. 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Santa Clara County Corrections Capt. Amy Le Put on Paid Leave In response to a list of questions, Colton referred San Jos Spotlight to aquestionnaireshe filled out for a recent sheriff candidate forum. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September.The association's members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. Provides investigative services for all of the North/West Santa Clara County unincorporated areas and the contract cities of Saratoga, Cupertino, and Los Altos Hills. Len Ramirez and Kiet Do contributed to this story. James Jensen, Christopher Schumb, Harpaul Nahal and Michael Nichols were indicted in the alleged pay-to-play plot, in which they are accused of brokering a deal for the executive security firm AS Solution to receive up to a dozen concealed-carry weapon permits in exchange for $90,000 in campaign donations to committees supporting Smiths 2018 re-election bid. Election 2022: The vote for a new South Bay sheriff Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Between 2014 and 2018, 749 Santa Clara County residents applied for a new CCW permit, according to records provided by the sheriffs department. Essentially, just be out there for the community to ask us questions and get suggestions from the community about where the problems are, he added. You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law. Monday through Friday through 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. San Jos Spotlight was unable to find record of Colton serving in law enforcement. Santa Clara County sheriff-elect Bob Jonsen will take office early after Board of Supervisors vote Jonsen, who was elected sheriff with 50.81% of the vote in November, will become the. There has been a changing of the guard at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office West Valley Division. Smith has not filed papers for reelection or said publicly whether she intends to run. Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. I think its important to know the men and women who have this difficult job in difficult times are this much behind a candidate, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. San Jos Spotlight is the citys first nonprofit, community-supported digital news organization. She is now on paid administrative leave. All rights reserved, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Campaign Scandal Widens, Donors to Sheriff's Political Campaigns Far More Likely to Get Concealed Gun Permits, Los Gatos Mom Accused of Hosting Alcohol-Fueled Teen Parties Attacked in Jail, Hospitalized, Viral Kids' Star Ms. Rachel Is Taking a Break From Social Media After Backlash Over Co-Star Who Uses They/Them Pronouns, Another Bay Area Storm This Weekend: Rain and Snow Forecast. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. She would combat this by setting up a retention program. Santa Clara County Sheriff candidates weigh in on plans for jail reform Jensen has picked up support from the main unions serving jail employees: the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers Association. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. Detectives pursue all cases to conclusion from reports generated by patrol deputies, except those cases dealing with homicide, sex, or narcotics, which are . Sheriff Smith herself was not among those indicted Friday, but Rosen said his office's investigation is wide ranging and far from over. Kevin Jensen said Tuesday that it was "humbling" that two unions want him to run against Sheriff Laurie . "But then when it came time to renew, I was not allowed to renew and those reasons were never explained to me phone calls were not returned," explained Moore. | All donations are tax-deductible. Our jail is among the 100 systems nationwide with an inmate population of more than 1,000. The second half of the agreed-upon donation amount wasstymied by the DA investigation, authorities said. I think its a trend that were seeing, property crimes increasing, now that were going back to work, Valenzuela said. Christine Nagaye, Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen and sheriff Sgt. Sheriff's Department Captain James Jensen, attorneys Christopher Schumb and Harpaul Nahal and business owner Michael Nichols are charged with conspiring with the CEO and a middle manager of AS Solution, Inc. -- an international security company -- to offer a $90,000 bribe to obtain concealed firearms permits (CCW licenses) for the company's executive protection agents. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. "It's a sad day for the Sheriff's department," said retired Undersheriff John Hirokawa, who was defeated in a runoff by Sheriff Smith in the election that year and wonders what role the money played. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. The Sheriff's Office provides a high level of proactive police services to residents, schools, and the businesses within our jurisdiction with a strong emphasis on community service. Though Wasserman is mentioned in the Aug. 6 indictment of Jensen, Schumb, Nahal and Nichols, he too has not been charged. This all took place in 2018, while Sheriff Laurie Smith, who had the authority to grant the CCW licenses, was in a race for reelection, both in the primary and general elections. By Bay City News Published July 16, 2013. 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. After Smith won that race, she promoted Le to captain. The Civil Warrants Division serves Civil process in the manner prescribed by law. She has spent months fending off attacks from the Board of Supervisors, which voted no confidence in her leadership. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. 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. There is only ONE job in the United States that has the job description of defending the US Constitution and protecting We the People. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Among the charges he faces, Jensen, along with AS Solution program manager Jack Stromgren, is accused of instructing AS Solution security employees to falsify their home addresses or employer to meet in-county residency requirements for the sheriffs CCW permits. I live in Palo Alto, am happy that Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonson is leaving his Palo Alto position. Valenzuela said Saratogas spike in residential burglaries is on his radar. Sean Allen. SAN JOSE The former CEO of an executive security firm charged in an alleged scheme to trade political donations for concealed-gun permits from the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office abruptly pleaded guilty in the case Monday, in what prosecutors called a significant development for a corruption probe that could threaten Sheriff Laurie Smiths two-decade tenure. 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. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. The new sheriff of San Mateo County, Christina Corpus, has been assembling a command staff that includes a former Realtor who has little law enforcement experience, though he has volunteered with the Woodside Mounted Patrol. He previously reported in Washington, D.C., Salinas and the East Bay, and is a middling triathlete. 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. Capt. Neil Valenzuela takes over Sheriff's West Valley Patrol Division My intent is to change not only whats happening at the top of the organization, but some of whos at the top of the organization, Allen told San Jos Spotlight. Nielsens cooperation with the DA was affirmed in the grand jury transcripts, in which he testified that he understood he was still subject to potential misdemeanor charges even if he helped the prosecution. Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September. He cited a internal solutions group he helped create inPalo Alto to address issues like morale and promotions. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? Ex-CEO pleads guilty in Santa Clara County gun-permit case In the 20 years that Neil Valenzuela has worked for the Sheriffs Office, he keeps coming back to Saratoga. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Attorney Christopher Schumb, right, is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Schumb was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. I just want to do it within reason, getting mental health help we need on the front end, and also providing for those people who have to be in the jails.. Source: https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf. A California sheriff was suspended after she had inmates at a jail in Santa Clara county make her a BBQ for a break space used by corrections staff, a report said Tuesday. Captain James Jensen, attorney Christopher Schumb, attorney Harpaul Nahal, and business owner Michael Nichols are accused of conspiring with the CEO and a middle manager of AS Solution, Inc., an international security company, to offer a $90,000 bribe to obtain concealed firearms permits (CCW licenses) for the company's executive protection agents. A gun parts manufacturer and two South Bay lawyers were the other three individuals named in the indictment. The Santa Clara County District Attorney said the defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020. at San Jose's Hall of Justice. Rosen wanted to make it clear his office will hold any public official accountable for misconduct. A veteran staff trainer, Allen wants to change how officers apply use of force, saying there need to be more alternatives for de-escalating situations and preventing harm to inmates. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Michael Nichols, right, is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Nichols was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. The race is between two candidates: Bob Jonsen and Kevin Jensen. She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. 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. No other candidate mentioned the Constitution. Kevin Jensen, a retired captain with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, is running to replace Laurie Smith. A contender for the top law enforcement job in Santa Clara County has won a coveted endorsement. She previously worked as a reporter for PhillyVoice in Philadelphia and freelanced for The Seattle Times and The Whiskey Wash. She grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated with a BA degree from the University of Oregon where she majored in journalism and minored in political science. The non-donor approval rate plummets even further for applicants who most would consider average citizens. Among the 40 non-donors to be granted concealed gun permits between 2014 and 2018 are three sitting judges, two current members of the San Jose Sharks hockey team, at least one employee of the sheriffs office, and five people who appear to be Santa Clara County reserve deputies. If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. Allowing her team to continually bully and brutalize mentally challenged inmates is disgusting. Bios - Captain Luis Martin | City of Santa Clara That was the first step in a conspiracy to "help AS Solution, Inc. manager Martin Nielsen procure hard-to-obtain CCW licenses for his company's executive protection agents," according to the indictment. Like his opponents, Jensen said hes concerned about the lack of transparency in the office, which he blames on Smiths managerial style. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Urena has also served as a field training officer, recruit training officer, detective in the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement team, a sergeant in the West Valley detective division, as a tactical flight observer aboard the sheriffs office helicopter, STAR 1, and as a mentor and leader to deputies. After submitting seven concealed weapon permit applications to Jensen at a meeting, AS Solution manager Martin Nielsen donated $45,000 -- half of the agreed amount -- to the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance, an independent expenditure committee supporting Sheriff Smith. Election 2022: The race for Santa Clara County sheriff None of the PIOs who testified could recall an instance where they personally witnessed Smith signing an approved permit, according to the transcripts. Instead, the application would be filed away and forgotten. 38 reviews of Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department "Thankfully, my only experience with the Santa Clara County Sheriffs has been getting fingerprinted at this station in San Jose. 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.