Sheriffs Capt. Jensen lost that election, but he believes the time is right for a new run and cites the support from the association. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Capt. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. And its not because I can give them any promotions or instantly solve their problemsits because Ive earned their trust over a long period of time.. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. 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. James Jensen, attorney Christopher Schumb, attorney Harpaul Nahal and business owner Michael Nichols allegedly conspired with the CEO and a middle manager of an international security company to offer a $90,000 bribe in exchange for concealed weapons permits, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. A sheriff sergeant with almost 30 years of service in the office, Sean Allen said his platform boils down to transparency, accountability and reform. Jensen, 58, retired in 2013. In 2017, another captain had used inmate labor to build arbors and a storage shed. Five candidates are jockeying for Smiths seat. He also notedhes implemented community advisory groups in every command position hes held. In a lawsuit filed Nov. 13 in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Amy Le says the Sheriff's Office effectively forced her to resign in retaliation for alerting higher-ups about a female lieutenant's sexual harassment complaint against a high-ranking officer. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations. If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. That is what we are doing here.. 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 She has spent months fending off attacks from the Board of Supervisors, which voted no confidence in her leadership. SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain James Jensen is photographed outside of the Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Jensen was. Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. All Rights Reserved. Like his opponents, Jensen said hes concerned about the lack of transparency in the office, which he blames on Smiths managerial style. As the I-Team reported last September, the man suffered brain damage and his parents are suing the county and the Sheriff's Department. Thats why his chances a slim. Moreover, he doesnt have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. 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. "I think as an elected official, she needs to come forward and tell the His career in law enforcement with the sheriffs office began in 2002, and since then he has worked a wide range of assignments, which include patrolling the West Valley cities, as well as performing law enforcement duties for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authoritys transit patrol division. 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. Emergency: 9-1-1; Emergency and Non-Emergency Number from all phones: (408) 299 - 2311; General Information from cellular phone: (408) 808 - 4400 Flood Advisory issued for Santa Clara Co. . He may be contacted at 408-868-6612 or email at email Rich Urena. 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. According to the transcripts, Deputy District Attorney Matt Braker asked Montonye, (Jensen) said that Sung was the individual who brought Martin Nielsen to his attention? to which the investigator replied, Correct. Montonye also testified that Jensen said he was directed by Sung to give the money tell him to give the money to Schumb.. 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. For the average member of the public, no matter how pressing or justified their need, if they follow the procedure laid out on the sheriff's website and mail in an application, it will will not be reviewed. 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. 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 Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Len Ramirez and Kiet Do contributed to this story. 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. Sung is now the assistant sheriff for the administrative division. 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. I would make every attempt and work tirelessly with community leaders to let them know the Sheriffs Office, or law enforcement as a whole, is here for you.. 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.. "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. public and her constituents and say what's going on. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office issued the following comment to ABC7 News. Reverend Jeff Moore, the head of the NAACP Silicon Valley Chapter had a CCW permit, but it was never renewed for reasons unknown. West, who Rosen said has given truthful testimony to date, similarly told the grand jury, with the number of CCWs that we were hoping to get, they believed that, $90,000 would be a reasonable donation, according to a July 31 transcript. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. 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. None of the PIOs who testified could recall an instance where they personally witnessed Smith signing an approved permit, according to the transcripts. "On August 7, 2020, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office publicly announced that Captain James Jensen has been formally charged with felony bribery, conspiracy and falsifying public documents by a Grand Jury.". Take a look at more stories and videos by the ABC7 News I-Team. This is my favorite place to work. | All donations are tax-deductible. Jonsen said he has experience overseeing crime reduction from his time as a coordinator of the Antelope Valley crime fighting initiative run by the LA Sheriffs Department. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him.. 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. Before that, he was chief of police in Menlo Park for five years. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Capt. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. Rosen said the office has been cleared of any conflict by the state Office of the Attorney General, which will represent the DAs office in the motion hearing. There may have been policies or procedures broken with regard to that project, but there must be more to the story," said Retired Undersheriff and Chief of Correction, John Hirokawa who in the past oversaw the jails. Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. The I-Team also reached out to Reggie Cooks, a public affairs officer for the sheriff's department, and he has not responded at the time this story was reported. I will not vote for him for Sheriff. The morale will get better, then the whole department, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Custody Division is the fifth largest jail system in California, and among the 20 largest systems in the United States. That is the County Sheriffs ultimate job duty. How safe is your neighborhood? There is only ONE job in the United States that has the job description of defending the US Constitution and protecting We the People. Related Articles (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. 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. CBS. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September. Local News | If convicted, the defendants could receive prison time. He wants to dismantle the system of nepotism that he claims took root in the Sheriffs Office during Smiths tenure. "It's been something of an open secret within the firearms community," Long said. 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. 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. 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. I am a mom, wife, a veteran, LGBTQ+ ally and I understand the diversity of Santa Clara County, Nagaye said. She is now on paid administrative leave. He served various roles for the next three decades, including as an assistant chief in the department of corrections and as jail administration commander. 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. I think its a trend that were seeing, property crimes increasing, now that were going back to work, Valenzuela said. Office Hours. You do the math. Hirokawa said Jensen's quick rise to captain after Smith's re-election raised eyebrows in the office at the time. Sheriff Smith herself was not among those indicted Friday, but Rosen said his office's investigation is wide ranging and far from over. Ricardo "Rich" Urena has been tapped to replace . 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. 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. Thankfully, SJS usually gives the names of those who voted against a proposal. she can't talk freely, then she needs to step down," Hirokawa said. He also plans to improve the treatment for mentally ill inmatesand overall conditions in the jail system. "I'm feeling very hopeful and optimistic, cautiously. Undersheriff ensnared in Santa Clara County concealed guns corruption probe, Sheriffs office hit with corruption probe over concealed weapons permits, | Criminal Justice and Public Safety Reporter. San Jos Spotlight is the citys first nonprofit, community-supported digital news organization. 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. Hes worked in every area of sheriffs office jurisdiction. They could spend time in prison if they are convicted. 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. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. By Bay City News Published July 16, 2013. Rosen wanted to make it clear his office will hold any public official accountable for misconduct. She resigned as sheriff on . Allen was firm, fair and integrity was not an issue. 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. 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 . 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. "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. 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. The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. 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. 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. 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. In 2020, Luis was selected as the Acting Captain of the Special Operations Division and officially became fulltime Captain of this same division in September of 2021. But now people are returning back to work, returning to normal life and going on vacations, so folks are starting to take advantage of that.. (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 side of a Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in this file photo. August 10, 2016 at 12:02 p.m. 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. 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. 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. Nagayes major endorsement is from the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, and she says she has strong support among deputies and residents. First published on August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The citys residential burglary rate is up 34%. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Attorney Harpaul Nahal, left, is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Nahal was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. Number of employees at Santa Clara County with job title Sheriff's Correctional Captain is 35. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. ", #Breaking Four people including SantaClara Co Sheriffs Captain indicted in concealed carry pay to play scheme MORE @nbcbayarea. Local News | 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. 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. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. We are a bit troubled by the words overwhelmingly and unanimously (and others) when it comes to any voting. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. I havent 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. "We will follow the evidence where it leads. Last . The county has a similar program, but Jonsen wants to expand it to meet greater demand. Jonsen, who filed his papers to run in January, has received endorsements from former state Sen.Jim Bell, the Democratic Asian Pacific American Club and the Sunnyvale Democratic Club. At Best in the West, according to the indictment, Nichols introduced Nielsen to Jensen, where they agreed to a deal where AS Solution's agents would receive CCW permits in exchange for a large donation to the Sheriff's campaign. 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. The other three members of her command staff including former Mountain View . Detectives pursue all cases to conclusion from reports generated by patrol deputies, except those cases dealing with homicide, sex, or narcotics, which are . Jonsen, 59, spent the last four years working as police chief in Palo Alto. 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. Neil Valenzuela takes over Sheriffs West, 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, Capt. 2 brothers found guilty of murdering groom at California wedding party 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. 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. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. This is the organizations third time endorsing an opponent of incumbent Laurie Smith, who has served as head of the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office since 1998. 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Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. 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.