DA investigator leaves position under allegations of perjury

February 19, 2015

slo sheriffA San Luis Obispo County District Attorney investigator who allegedly lied in an affidavit to a judge while on loan to the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force is no longer in the employ of the county prosecutor.

“Effective Feb. 14, A.J. Santana is no longer employed by the District Attorney’s Office. Due to applicable employee privacy concerns, we are unable to release any detailed information at this time,” the SLO County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. “The District Attorney’s Office is very careful to ensure that we meet our legal and ethical responsibilities as an employer, a law enforcement agency, and as a prosecution agency.”

On Aug. 27, Santana filed an affidavit with San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Rita Federman seeking a warrant to search a home and car for evidence of drug dealing. Santana was successful in his request to have the affidavit sealed by the court in order to protect an ongoing investigation, according to the warrant.

After it was discovered Santana allegedly lied to a judge, the sheriff’s department notified the district attorney’s office of the alleged perjury. On Oct. 15, the district attorney’s office made a motion to drop all charges against the 42-year-old suspect because of lack of evidence.

Two days later, then-District Attorney Gerald Shea and his elected successor Dan Dow placed Santana on paid administrative while they conducted an investigation into the perjury allegation.

As of Feb. 14, Santana is no longer employed by the county prosecutor. Because of employee privacy concerns, the reason for his departure is not being disclosed.

Santana is the second member of the sheriff’s narcotics task force to leave his employment while under investigation for alleged illegal acts.

In 2013, a judge sentenced former San Luis Obispo police officer Cory Pierce to 18 months in federal prison. While working as a member of the San Luis Obispo County Narcotics Task Force, Pierce stole drugs from the sheriff’s department evidence locker and manipulated a probationer into selling drugs for him.


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It hurts our community when the legal processes that are established are broken by “inside” people. When Cory Pierce was let go, so were all the cases he was on i.e… my friendly meth addict neighbor..


Unless you live it, you will never guess how many times people in our county go in and out of county jail. It is flabbergasting.


The two of them have disappointed a lot of neighbors who wanted the druggies out of their neighborhoods.


But, calm yourself, you may purchase online a snack pack for a law breaking neighbor from our county jail website anytime you wish. UFB!


I’m not passing judgement on this but, search warrants are granted for a variety of reasons and requested for huge far reaching reasons. This one seemed to be someone straining for something that wasn’t there in a case. Too bad.


When AJ was talking to the victims of Rod Jarmin and Real Property Lenders he was

bragging about making over $100,000 flipping houses. Completely inappropriate conversation to a group of people who had just lost their life savings. He was arrogant then and I am sure very humbled now. Way to ruin a promising career.


GOOD


Imagine that!

They put him on administrative leave, then did an investigation.

It’s too late for the prior AG council, but THIS is how it’s done.

Hope KB, Guthrie and Brown are paying attention.

Your decisions have cost our city dearly.


Has anyone seen Tony? the subject of perjury and fraud gets me thinking about that egoist.


Oops!

They put him on leave, performed an investigation, then

Wait for it… Wait for it

TERMINATED for CAUSE!

Touché!


hmmmm very interesting, especially because I am very close with the people involved. About time this good ole boy bs was broke wide open in this county, cuz its not all wine and cattle and pretty to look at.


Career criminals are bad.


Dirty Cops are worse.


Dirty cops are career criminals.