The arrest of Carlos Tapia, the president of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and a key whistleblower raising concerns over the Sheriff’s Office, was deemed wrongful and unnecessary by the district attorney, bolstering concerns over retaliation at the hands of the sheriff.
The timing and necessity of the union leader’s arrest has remained under speculation as evidence of retaliation from Sheriff Christina Corpus, who is under fire for alleged lies, intimidation and conflicts of interest that have left the office riddled with internal complaints and national attention.
District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe reported Monday, Dec. 16, that his office found no evidence warranting the arrest of the union leader — who was arrested Nov. 12 without warrant for felony charges of timecard fraud.
“Deputy Tapia should not have been arrested,” Wagstaffe wrote in a press release Dec. 16.
In a press conference Dec. 16, supervisors Ray Mueller and Noelia Corzo spoke to the impact of the arrest on both Tapia’s personal life and on the county.
“Today, you are vindicated,” Mueller said to Tapia. “We want every person in this county to know of your innocence. We have a sheriff in this county we cannot trust. What happened to you presents no stronger argument.”
The morning a scathing 400-page investigative report by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell into the Sheriff’s Office administration was made public, Tapia was arrested for felony grand theft by false pretenses. Tapia has been a key figure in the effort to expose the Corpus administration’s flaws, and for leading the charge in a labor dispute alleging unilateral decision making relating to overtime and staffing without union conference.
“The only thing Mr. Tapia is guilty of having the audacity and courage to stand for those around him, for those he worked with,” Mueller said.
The DSA is calling for a civil rights violation investigation into this matter, Tapia said at the press conference. Wagstaffe said there are no grounds for any criminal allegations against Corpus and the Sheriff’s Office over false arrest.
“We demand that Sheriff Corpus, Undersheriff Dan Perea, and former Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle be investigated for their criminal conduct, at local, state, and federal levels,” the DSA said in a press statement Dec. 16.
The union — that was the first professional organization to speak publicly about internal concerns with Corpus’ administration — repeated its demand for Corpus and Undersheriff Dan Perea to resign. The two are the only ones left in the Sheriff’s Office executive team.
Matthew Fox, the former acting assistant sheriff, was assigned to investigate Tapia’s timecard records and provide a report to the executive team prior to his arrest. His report noted the matter was ongoing and “more needed to be done,” but an arrest was still made.
Two days after the investigation into Corpus and the Sheriff’s Office’s top brass was made public — and two days after Tapia’s arrest — Fox resigned from his role Nov. 14. Fox was promoted to acting assistant sheriff in September after Corpus fired his predecessor Ryan Monaghan, two days after Monaghan informed Corpus he spoke with Cordell for the investigation.
Perea was named second in command as undersheriff in June, replacing Chris Hsiung who resigned after serving in the role for just over a year.
Corpus said although the District Attorney’s Office has declined filing charges against Tapia, an internal affairs review will proceed.
“While the criminal investigation has concluded, a separate internal review will take place, which is standard protocol when the arrest involves an employee,” Corpus wrote in a statement. “The internal review will be conducted by an independent third-party investigator to ensure it is a fair process.”
In a letter by Aenlle received by the Daily Journal, the former chief of staff provided a “formal rebuttal” to Cordell’s investigation and said “we were being set up from the moment this report was summoned.”
At the Dec. 16 press conference, Tapia’s daughter, Vanessa Lemus Tapia, said that although two years ago she canvassed for Corpus’ campaign, she is no longer a sheriff that county residents can trust.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is looking to remove Corpus from her elected position by placing a charter amendment measure on March ballots giving it the authority to do so until Dec. 31, 2028. Until then, local leaders continue to call for her resignation despite her consistent refusal.
“Christina Corpus has no integrity. Dan Perea has no integrity,” the DSA said in a press statement. “We believe they are criminals. We believe they are tyrants. They need to leave. Now.”
(5) comments
Could this decision by the DA’s Office be the icing on Corpus’s resignation cake?
Looks like Christina has gone from "Let them eat cake" to actually being able to have her cake and eat it too.
It's been reported the county made Christina an offer of one million dollars plus four years of medical coverage in exchange for her resignation. No deal. The county might want to up the ante... maybe something like one million dollars tax free plus the medical coverage. That would still be less expensive than a special election. The best part of a deal like that is... the county gets to move on, and Christina gets to move on. It's time.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/san-mateo-county-sheriff-gets-1m-offer-to-walk-away-from-job-sources-tell-i-team/ar-AA1vqxbj?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Ray, thanks for the update – I had not heard about this offer. But why would Corpus take $1 million when her salary over her remaining term is more than $1 million? Instead of upping the offer, or offering it in the first place, I’d prefer my taxpayer money go towards a special election.
Hey, Terence
Christina's total compensation is more than $700,000 per year, but only about half of that is salary. Negotiating what amounts to be a three year kiss good-bye plus some medical benefits is a good deal for her. It's also a good deal for the county... in the bookkeeper's ledger. A special election could cost double (or more) what she may accept to step away. I hear ya... I cringe to think that someone neck deep in such a controversy might walk away with a load of taxpayer cash, but I don't want even more cash spent on dragging out compromises to public safety over the next 2-4 years. Christina should understand that an offer of cash to resign is probably a one-time only good deal. If she doesn't take it now, it may not be on the table very long. Christina may want to consider what an offer from the county could mean for her children. It's a chance to start over. If she does agree to a deal, her kiss good-bye should be to Victor.
Ray, thanks for the clarification. I’d still prefer that a payout is not offered and since “we’re” already paying for her salary, Corpus may as well work for it, being under the microscope of her colleagues and the public ready to blow the whistle on any further shenanigans. That being said, if a payout is still on the table, as long as there isn’t any “release” from criminal or civil charges against Corpus, it’d be a palatable option.
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