In addition to bribery, the indictment charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. 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. There has been a changing of the guard at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office West Valley Division. Jensen said hes concerned about the large number of mentally ill inmates in the jail system, butbelieves those with violent offenses need to be incarcerated. 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. Smiths tenure as sheriff has been marred by scandals and political investigations. He wants to dismantle the system of nepotism that he claims took root in the Sheriffs Office during Smiths tenure. Now, Long said he wants to a see a system that treats all applicants equally. All Rights Reserved. We are not done.". We know Kevin Jensen as a person and we understand his leadership qualities, Ryan Elder, president of the association, told San Jos Spotlight. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. The DA's investigation began shortly after the general election in 2018, sparked by an inquiry from the Metro Silicon Valley weekly about executive security licensing and an extremely large campaign donation, which was reported in public filings. You do the math. 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. 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. Sheriff Smith herself was not among those indicted Friday, but Rosen said his office's investigation is wide ranging and far from over. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) A retired captain for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office is joining the race to become the next sheriff, now the second opponent looking to unseat current. Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California. "We will follow the evidence where it leads. Kristi Myllenbeck covers all things Cupertino, from crime and breaking news to education and development. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. The remaining four defendants, who were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges, put off entering pleas until Sept. 21. Rick Sung as commander of the patrol division. Jensen has also received endorsements from retired county supervisor Blanca Alvarado, Gilroy Mayor Marie Blankley, Milpitas Mayor Rich Tran and former sheriff Robert Winter. 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. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. "It's very unusual for a captain to be walked off in that manner for a project that wasn't for personal gain, on jail property. We are not done, he said. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations. After Smith won that race, she promoted Le to captain. She would combat this by setting up a retention program. Urena has a wealth of patrol experience, he told the five-member city council. Jonsen said the county should offer more skill-based programs in the jails for inmates so they can find employment upon release. The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. Office Hours. Jensen is also accused of signing off on seven permit recipients who did not complete mandatory firearms proficiency exams including a permit renewal for county Supervisor Mike Wasserman. 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. Sheriff Robert Jonsen Sheriff's Office Facebook Page Sheriff's Office Twitter Feed Sheriff's Office Instagram Feed Contact Us 55 West Younger Avenue San Jose, CA 95110-1721 Phone: (408) 808-4400 Toll Free: (800) 211-2220 Fax: (408) 294-2467 Email: so.website@shf.sccgov.org Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. 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. 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. Instead, the application would be filed away and forgotten. Schumbs attorney Joe Wall also filed a motion to remove the DAs office from the case, citing that Schumb has been a friend and fundraiser for District Attorney Jeff Rosen. All Rights Reserved. The side of a Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in this file photo. August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM / CBS San Francisco. He started his law enforcement career with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in 1989. Jensen's attorney Harry S. Stern released the following statement to ABC7 News: James is devastated by this development. Neither Smith, who has the sole authority in her agency to grant the gun permits, nor Martin Nielsen an AS Solution manager who provided security for Facebook executives has been charged. San Jos Spotlight is the citys first nonprofit, community-supported digital news organization. That is the County Sheriffs ultimate job duty. Rich Urena, who will head the Sheriffs Offices Detective Division. 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.. All of these people do not feel safe, and they feel threatened, Nagaye told San Jos Spotlight. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. Local News | 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. Kevin Jensen said Tuesday that it was "humbling" that two unions want him to run against Sheriff Laurie . While a captain, he was assigned to oversee various Custody Bureau Divisions, including the Main Jail, Elmwood, Jail Reforms, Support Services, and Administrative Services, as well as the Transportation and Internal Affairs Units. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. In response to a list of questions, Colton referred San Jos Spotlight to aquestionnaireshe filled out for a recent sheriff candidate forum. NIchols owns a company called The Gun Co., which manufactures firearms parts. ", #Breaking Four people including SantaClara Co Sheriffs Captain indicted in concealed carry pay to play scheme MORE @nbcbayarea. 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. Colton is a latecomer to the race, having filed her nomination papers in March. The Sheriff's Office Parks Patrol Unit provides law enforcement services for the 28 regional parks and lakes managed by the Santa Clara County Parks Department. He got his start in the West Valley working as a patrol deputy and detective before he was assigned as the investigator for the county councils office. The second half of the payment was forestalled by the DA investigation. The second half of the agreed-upon donation amount wasstymied by the DA investigation, authorities said. In court Monday, he asked Judge Eric Geffon to re-seal the grand jury transcripts on the grounds that his clients trial rights will be prejudiced by their release.. Jensen started working as a deputy at Elmwood Correctional Facility in 1985. From there, he was promoted to lieutenant and came back to Saratoga as the assistant commander of the West Valley Patrol Division. Its a small town community I like interacting with.. And were here to provide it. "I know they used a lot of that money on social media, slamming me," he said. Amy Le, who led the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers' Association (CPOA) and went to bat for Sheriff Laurie Smith in her last election, was served a letter charging her with wrongdoing, stripped of her badge and escorted off the job Friday. 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. Laurie Smith (born June 21, 1952) was the 28th Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California, serving from 1998 until her early retirement in 2022 when under indictment for corruption. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. This is my favorite place to work. Allen has received endorsements fromReverend Jeff Moore, former president of the Silicon Valley NAACP, and several retired sheriff employees. Local News | Jensen, 58, retired in 2013. West Valley Detectives. Most of those applicants did not donate to the Sheriffs political campaign over that time period and fewer than 6% of those non-donors were awarded a concealed gun permit, according to sheriffs office records and publicly available campaign contribution data. 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. Sheriff Smith has consistently declined to comment on year-and-a-half-long probe. Every captain thats worked on this side of town has made an impact with the community. Related Articles 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. She was the first female County Sheriff in the history of the state. Local News | Capt. Palo Alto police chief enters race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Santa Clara County sergeant steps into sheriffs race, Second challenger joins race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Former opponent challenges embattled Santa Clara County sheriff, https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf, 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 touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. She resigned as sheriff on . Between 2014 and 2019, only about 150 permits were issued or renewed in Santa Clara County. Isnt that what Sheriff Laurie Smith had/has been saying? I was at the sheriff forum and only one candidate said she would uphold the US Constitution. Local News | To be fair, all candidates seem passionate about wanting to a good job as sheriff and the questions asked are valid questions for any managerial jobs. The complete transcript of the grand jury's findings will be released in the coming weeks. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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Then I suggest you educate other voters so more people are aware. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. 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. I live in Palo Alto, am happy that Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonson is leaving his Palo Alto position. West Valley: Rich Urena is new captain of, 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, West Valley: Rich Urena is new captain of sheriff offices West Valley division. Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. The conflict is so real and so grave that fair treatment of Schumb is unlikely unless the district attorneys office is disqualified, Wall wrote in the motion. We know hes the best candidate to address these issues (in the office).. Closed on Santa Clara County holidays. 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. There has been a changing of the guard at the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office West Valley Division. Santa Clara Sheriffs gun-permit process: public safety or politics? Civil process includes restraining orders, bench warrants, arrest warrants, evictions and any other notice or order from the courts. 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. He supports the Board of Supervisors decision to build a new 500-person jail, and he favors adding more mental health resources for inmates. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. 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. Hirokawa said Jensen's quick rise to captain after Smith's re-election raised eyebrows in the office at the time. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. This DAs office has successfully prosecuted elected officials, correctional officers, sheriffs deputies, police officers, attorneys, business owners and other prominent residents, Rosen said in a statement to this news organization Monday. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Kinda like if you are applying for a cook job and you are not aware that preparing meals is the basic part of your job then what is the point of continuing the job interview? 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. Nagaye, 51, has served in the Sheriffs Office for 20 years, with the last seven as a supervising sergeant. Rosen reiterated Monday that his offices investigation is still active, but declined to comment on whether prosecutors are any closer to implicating the sheriff. When I had asked him in one of those early conversations I got, like I dont remember the words it was, basically, Dont ask.'. 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. She is a San Jose State University alumna and enjoys hiking and camping in her spare time. 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. "It's been something of an open secret within the firearms community," Long said. Le apparently ran into trouble when her superiors did not like her project, and when they learned she didn't have a building permit. Saratoga hosts LAW-tes and Coffee with a Cop events to keep the community engaged with the Sheriffs Office, Valenzuela said. We have seen such words used when the City Council has voted. "This investigation revealed the sad reality that at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office there are 2 policies for those seeking CCW licenses.
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