In a statement, attorney Harry S. Stern said: "James is devastated by this development. 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. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. 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. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group;. Photo courtesy of Kevin Jensen. I will always remember my oath to protect and servethat will be my ultimate oath, and thats why Im running for sheriff.. A gun parts manufacturer and two South Bay lawyers were the other three individuals named in the indictment. Moreover, he doesnt have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Hannah Kanik is a Bay Area News Group reporter covering Santa Clara County's West Valley for The Mercury News, East Bay Times, The Los Gatos Weekly and The Saratoga News. Long, who created a blog to document the CCW process in Santa Clara County, said he was unsurprised by the indictments. All of these people do not feel safe, and they feel threatened, Nagaye told San Jos Spotlight. 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. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. With Californias soaring mountains steep in snow, heres how to avoid an avalanche 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. 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. Capt. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! She has been working for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers since 2015. 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. He cited a internal solutions group he helped create inPalo Alto to address issues like morale and promotions. The second half of the payment was forestalled by the DA investigation. 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. Click hereif you are having trouble viewing the slideshow on a mobile device. 5:45 p.m. Lake County sheriff declares a local emergency due to snow. 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. In response to a list of questions, Colton referred San Jos Spotlight to aquestionnaireshe filled out for a recent sheriff candidate forum. Santa Clara County Sheriffs Captain James Jensen among 4 people indicted by grand jury yesterday according to DA Jeff Jensen @nbcbayarea. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. He says it's time for Sheriff Smith to speak out if she knows anything 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. 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. This is your newsroom. 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. In a statement, the sheriff's office said Jensen will be placed on administrative leave immediately. 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. Ricardo "Rich" Urena has been tapped to replace . The Constitution for the United States of America and its capstone iBill of Rights is the Law of the Land; and all statutes and state constitutions repugnant to the Constitution for the United States of America are null and void. Saratoga installed an Automatic License Plate Reader system at several intersections last spring to track cars coming in and out of the city and deter crime. She resigned as sheriff on . 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We are not done, he said. 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. we have been without one, https://www.kevinjensen4sheriff.com/endorsements. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. 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. She was the first female County Sheriff in the history of the state. In addition to conspiracy and bribery charges, Jensen is accused of falsifying public records. 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. In addition Robert Johnson has done his best to avoid transparency. When asked if Jensen was acting on his own or working with Sheriff Smith, Rosen said that because the investigation was ongoing, it was not appropriate for him to comment on the possible roles of other individuals. The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. 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. "People have often said the only way to obtain a permit in Santa Clara County is to make a donation to the sheriff's office.". Moreover, he doesn't have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. Monday through Friday through 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. This is your newsroom. Occupation. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations," Rosen said. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. 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. 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. She is now on paid administrative leave. Allen also wants to address the homophobia and racial inequitieshe sees in the office. My resolutions are not something Im just sayingits something Ive been doing my entire career.. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. I worked with S. Allen at Elmwood (I am nurse). Sean Allen. In addition to bribery, the indictment charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen remained on track Wednesday to be elected Santa Clara County's next sheriff. 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.. So he is also a liar. She has spent months fending off attacks from the Board of Supervisors, which voted no confidence in her leadership. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. 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. Santa Clara County Salaries - Sheriff's Correctional Captain Highest salary at Santa Clara County in year 2021 was $472,633. / CBS San Francisco. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. Local News | "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. "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.". Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. He started his law enforcement career with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in 1989. Capt. 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"They should not be for sale. There were 44 reported burglaries from January to October of 2021, while 59 burglaries were reported in the same time period in 2022. 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. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. I would love to serve in that role.. Election 2022 candidates for Santa Clara County Sheriff: retired Palo Alto police chief Bob Jonsen (left) and retired sheriff's captain Kevin Jensen. The activity took place in 2018 while Sheriff Laurie Smith -- who had the authority to grant the permits -- was in a tough battle race for reelection in both the primary and general elections. BY EMILY MIBACH. He said after Friday's news, Sheriff Smith needs to go. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. Luis later supervised the Santa Clara County Specialized Enforcement Team working regional investigations with local, county, state and federal public safety partners. 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. 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. That is what we are doing here.. Allen, 51, has mostly worked in the jail system. Schumb is a prominent political backer of the Sheriff and served as Assistant Treasurer for the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance, an independent expenditure committee that supported Smith's election bid. Over the next 30 years he worked in numerous roles in the county jail and Sheriffs Office. Rosen said his office's probe was triggered by a San Jose Inside article focusing on a large 2018 contribution to Smith's campaign. Valenzuela said Saratogas spike in residential burglaries is on his radar. Closed on Santa Clara County holidays. He became captain in 2004 and retired in 2013. Ive worked at other places with the Sheriffs Office here and there but I just like the community here, and I like the fact theres more community outreach that we do on this side, Valenzuela said. Rosen reiterated Monday that his offices investigation is still active, but declined to comment on whether prosecutors are any closer to implicating the sheriff. Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. Len Ramirez and Kiet Do contributed to this story. "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. Last . "The DA's office is continuing to investigate more crimes and more individuals related to Sheriff Smith's issuance of CCW licenses. He is my choice. In a surprise turn, West used the defendants Monday arraignment to plead guilty. They could spend time in prison if they are convicted. 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. And if she feels that Friday afternoon the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office told ABC7 News that Jensen was officially placed on administrative leave. A San Jose native, he graduated from UCLA with a BA degree in history and from the University of Maryland with a MA degree in journalism. If theres problems with speeding or people running stop signs, (these events) give them more direct access to us and assist them in a better way.. Christian West, AS Solutions CEO at the time of the alleged scheme, was charged separately on two felony conspiracy counts. "It's been something of an open secret within the firearms community," Long said. Detectives pursue all cases to conclusion from reports generated by patrol deputies, except those cases dealing with homicide, sex, or narcotics, which are . This is my favorite place to work. Political action committees for the Deputy Sheriffs Association and the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers Association supported Jensens campaign when he ran against Smith in 2014. He was promoted to captain and was assigned to Stanford University before requesting to come back to Saratoga and serve as the division commander. . "We will follow the evidence where it leads. 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. 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. Sheriffs Capt. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? The public information officers sergeants Richard Glennon, Reginald Cooks and Michael Low also testified that Jensen was still heavily involved in shepherding the CCW application process despite being promoted out of the PIO office, in a rapid ascendance from sergeant to lieutenant and then captain in just a few years. Sources tell the I-Team that Le was a supervisor at the Main Jail's sally port when a mentally ill inmate was beating his head against a post inside a transport van. Southern California mountain residents head home, for many its the first time in days 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. California law requires candidates for county sheriff to have experience as certified law enforcement officers. Daily Post Staff Writer. Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. There has been a changing of the guard at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office West Valley Division. 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. 2007-03-13 12:18:00 PDT SAN JOSE -- Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators expect to go to prosecutors this week with their case against De Anza College baseball players suspected of having . San Jos Spotlight was unable to find record of Colton serving in law enforcement. "I think as an elected official, she needs to come forward and tell the Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Hes also interested in growing the jails mental health resources by potentially enlisting interns and clinicians in training from local universities. Neil Valenzuela takes over Sheriffs West Valley Patrol Division, 2 brothers found guilty of murdering groom at California wedding party, With Californias soaring mountains steep in snow, heres how to avoid an avalanche, Southern California mountain residents head home, for many its the first time in days, Oakland police investigating spate of shootings that left one dead, five wounded, Woman found fatally shot on I-580 off-ramp. Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Both Smith and Undersheriff Rick Sung invoked their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination when they appeared before a criminal grand jury Aug. 3, and refused to answer any questions about the scandal, according to transcripts of the proceedings. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. Urena told the council that he is prepared to take on the challenge. 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. Capt. 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. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. ", 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. Reach him the low-tech way at 408-920-5002. The DA's Office said it is continuing to investigate additional crimes and individuals in relation to the issuing of CCW licenses. Jonsen said he also values transparency in law enforcement. 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. 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.