Civil grand jury accuses San Mateo County sheriff

Issued June 27, the accusation includes conclusions made following a monthslong hearing where 32 witnesses, including Corpus, testified under oath. This is the first time such a record of evidence regarding the sheriff has been provided by any involved party under penalty of perjury.

The misconduct alleged include one count of conflict of interest for the hiring and supervision of Victor Aenlle, Corpus’ former chief of staff “with whom he had a close personal relationship,” a press release from the District Attorney’s Office states.

Other allegations include three counts of retaliation, including the firing of former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan, the transfer of former Capt. Brian Philip, and the arrest of Deputy Carlos Tapia, the president of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and key whistleblower against Corpus’ administration.

Corpus’ attorney Thomas Mazzucco said the allegation stems from “politically motivated complaints” raised by union leaders in the Sheriff’s Office.

“These grievances — centered on personnel assignments, executive staff appointments, and internal union matters — are not unusual in large law enforcement agencies undergoing modernization and meaningful reform,” Mazzucco said in a statement.

Mazzucco added that “under her direction, the Sheriff’s Office continues to make significant progress,” referring to crime rates and recruitment statistics, though the figures have been questioned by supervisors and personnel.

The monthslong hearing was conducted by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, which acted as an advisor to the civil grand jury.

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said this meant his staff worked as “law professors, not lawyers, arguing a case.” Prosecutors would subpoena witnesses, help civil grand jury members ask appropriate legal questions and give advice rather than argue for anything in particular, Wagstaffe said.

Civil grand juries have always had the ability to look into an elected official within the county, but it’s an option seldom taken. The last time the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury issued an accusation against an elected official was in 1980 against Albert DiMatteo, a board member of the San Mateo City School District.

Corpus is scheduled to respond to the accusation in court at 9 a.m. on July 15 in front of Judge Stephanie Garratt. Corpus is entitled to a trial by jury on the accusation. The trial by jury would align with the typical 12-person jury that has to be unanimous and affirm proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Potential criminal charges “remain under evaluation” by the District Attorney’s Office, Wagstaffe said, which is entirely separate from the civil grand jury proceedings. Wagstaffe said he has been advised repeatedly by the California Attorney General’s Office there is not a meaningful conflict of interest over the grand jury indictment and criminal charges being investigated by his office.

The deputies union is “not at all surprised” by the civil grand jury’s accusation and are still asking her to resign.

“By refusing to step down, Sheriff Corpus continues to waste millions of dollars in taxpayer money,” the DSA said in a statement. “She believes her own lies and has shown that she has no integrity. She does not deserve to lead a law enforcement agency.”

The civil grand jury’s accusation echoes what has been raised by other county officials who have found Corpus has committed misconduct and must be removed from office.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors are currently pursuing its extended authority — granted by voter approval — to remove an elected sheriff from office through approved proceedings. Most recently, supervisors have sustained a recommendation made by Chief Probation Officer John Keene to remove Corpus from office.

The board unanimously voted Corpus out of office at a special meeting June 24, but Corpus appealed the decision and requested an under-oath evidentiary hearing to take place in front of a neutral hearing officer. This is separate from the potential civil grand jury trial, and will likely conclude first, likely in August.

Accusations made by the civil grand jury also align with what retired Judge LaDoris Cordell concluded after conducting a separate monthslong fact-finding investigation into Corpus and Aenlle. Cordell was hired by the county after a number of complaints were made by personnel.

Cordell’s investigation resulted in an over-400-page report detailing allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Corpus and Aenlle, abuse of power by Aenlle, homophobic and racist rhetoric by Corpus and personnel fearful of retaliation.