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CMC warden accused of doctoring an inmate’s file

January 9, 2015
CMC Warden Elvin Valenzuela

CMC Warden Elvin Valenzuela

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that Warden Elvin Valenzuela and Captain Jennifer Core were suspended while Lt. Ray Baez and Officer Oscar Herijld was fired for their participation in issues regarding an investigation into a document being removed from a prisoner’s file. However, Herijld left CMC during the investigation, the findings against Baez were revoked in a Skelly hearing, and Valenzuela and Core were not suspended. Because of personnel privacy rules, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation public relation’s staff is only saying that appropriate actions were taken and is not disclosing what those actions were.

By KAREN VELIE

The warden and a captain at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo County have been accused of destroyed a portion of an inmate’s file in an attempt to promote the prisoner’s parole or transfer, prison sources said.

While in prison, the convicted murderer had been busted for drugs. However, shortly before the inmate was to appear before the California Board of Prison Terms, documents of the 115 drug charge were removed from his file.

Nevertheless, board officials discovered a confidential report describing the drug offense. As a result, the prisoner was not paroled and an investigation was initiated.

Warden Elvin Valenzuela and Captain Jennifer Core were involved in the removal of the file, CMC sources said.

Valenzuela did not respond to requests for comment. Jeffrey Callison, the press secretary for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, confirmed that there had been an investigation into the altering of an inmate’s file.

“In response to your question yesterday, all we can say at this time is that there was an investigation into actions regarding an inmate’s file,” Callison said in an email. “That investigation has been completed and all appropriate actions have been taken. Since this is a personnel matter, there is no further comment that we can make.”

Officer Oscar Herijld and Lieutenant Ray Baez were also  under investigation during the inquiry, sources said.

The Office of Internal Affairs and the Housing Authority both sustained allegations that Lt. Ray Baez had failed to inform his superiors about rule violations in the 2012 removal of the 115 from the inmate’s file, Baez said. However, Baez was on vacation during a portion of the time in question.

In addition, Baez said the warden has the right to remove a 115 for the safety of the prison.

In a Skelly hearing held late last year, a judge cleared Baez of all charges.

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The nature of the comments on this article, as well as the number of comments from people who are not regular commenters, indicates that there is a lot more dirty business going on at the CMC and that people need to get more involved in this. Prison officials are an integral part of law enforcement and if this is how things are handled at the state level, you better believe this dirty business extends well beyond the prison walls.


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Wait for it!!! You’d rather believe a lie than know the truth! How many of you, haters, personally know these people? NONE OF YOU! BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW THEM, YOU’D KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUTH! DO YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ?!?


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Gal6-2

I know all parties involved and I also know the findings of the OIA investigation that was conducted. I also know if it wasn’t true all parties would have the rite to a Skelly Hearing or SPB hearing which none of them chose to do. Why? Wait for it.


BECAUSE THEY ARE GUILTY AND THEY KNOW IT and they also know there lucky that’s all they got.


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Valz Karma,

Where do you get your information? YOU BETTER BELIEVE A SKELLY HEARING WAS CONDUCTED & EXONERATE transitive verb 1 : to relieve of a responsibility, obligation, or hardship 2 : to clear from accusation or blame


Read the Correction.

THE END.


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I know these individuals like the back of my hand. Lets see. Do you want to speak about how former warden Terry Gonzalez and Elvin Valenzuela while on the West side Facility of CMC covered up the embezzlement and falsification of state funds by a lieutenant Monica Ruiz or the conflict of interest the former warden had with an officer while she was warden. Anyone who had eyes open, ears open to the truth and willingness to own up to truth and your so called truth; knows this is true. Don’t you know lies always surface. And just like inmates who always talk and give up dishonest cops eventually, so do supervisors when

they don’t approve of such lack of honesty and character. But like all who work for CMC

know; those willing to keep CMC’S secrets and do dirty work promote quickly. Thats a fact. These individuals know the truth but feel their above the law and not accountable. All this newspaper needs to do is access paperwork open to public. The taxpayers pay are wages. Hopefully, the former warden and current warden haven’t had this information

shredded. Finally, the public knows what this warden is capable of. Gonzales promoted to Sacramento. The public should demand his and Cores resignation, nothing less. The lieutenants garnished wages and her removal from IST should be looked in to. She stole a lot

of money and was never prosecuted for her dishonesty or actions of falsifying time

keeping paper work. This administration fired Officers Heather Rodriguez, Wade Gavin, Tris Colemen,Sharon Onea and others for dishonesty that paled in comparison. Dishonesty is dishonesty there is no difference. The only difference is the “Double Standards” in place

that allow supervisors to be promoted for there misconduct. The public, “your right” has no clue; however you do. How can u be so dishonest with your self. What lies do we tell

our families about the place we are employed by. These people who get caught up in the

green wall and code of silence are as guilty as the criminals they guard when they commit

these atrocities of misconduct. If the public only new how many corrupt supervisors exist at CMC it would blow their minds. If I remember right, CMC calls the articulation of falsified documents proper when they need to cover there behind. Now lets talk truth, decades of working outside policy and procedure. Please remember less is more when your clueless

and lack the facts. Do not base your facts on emotions( as I was taught by my old

supervisors from the Valley). Both Captain Malloy and F.A Rodriguez taught me the true

meaning of the anatomy of a set up. Not just meant for corrupt inmates but employees like these who lack integrity. I am so glad they taught me how to investigate to the fullest and never take “no” as an option. Both supervisors worked with the warden back in

the 80’s at Corcoran state prison and i know more about his character then most. Their is

so much wrong with warden Elvin Valenzuela and Jennifer Core’s character. I have the

facts to back up what comes out of my mouth. Documentation is everything and the facts point to corruption and dissimulation towards the disciplinary matrix system where this type of dishonesty is immediate Termination. Just like Tris Coleman, Sharon Oneal, Heather Rodriguez, and Wade Gavin received. Their held to a higher standard. Your blind to truth and apparently do not know who you work with and what their secrets are.


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waaaaaa……..hyperbole much??


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I agree with most of what you say but Wade Gavin was a loose cannon waiting to happen.I am surprised he and his Sergeant friend both aren’t out of the department.As far as the higher ups the last decent Warden was Duncan everyone after that have been garbage. Deadwood Marshall “fired ” Heather Rodriguez ( something that is done by the State Personnel board not the warden ) but then allowed A CCPOA chapter president and vice president to keep their jobs after falsifying a concealed weapons permit because he then had leverage over them which he didn’t need because they never would stand up to him anyway.Tris Coleman got away with a lot before his termination and should have been gone long before that ask some old timer about his stint as chapter treasurer.Along with a chapter president and his girlfriend who sublet a hotel room in Monterey during a convention that the officers were paying for while they sacked up in the other room.These Wardens since Duncan know nothing about stewardship over those they command and have pushed out good people even in the Administration for their self serving goals.Valenzuela with his “if the officers don’t like they can quit attitude” is another example.Once you get passed officer you really have to screw up to get in trouble and the current car in the administration is a prime example of that.


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SHAME ON YOU! All of you who have believed this LIE AND convicted these honorable and respectable people. THESE ARE THE VERY PEOPLE THAT ARE COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE FROM HARM! Before you slander their names, I implore you Karen V to get your investigative facts straight and advice you to seek a reliable source. YOU GOT THIS ONE ALL WRONG! YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK BECAUSE I SPEAK THE TRUTH AND I AM CLOSELY RELATED TO ONE OF THEM. THESE ARE HARD-WORKING CITIZEBS IN YOUR COMMUNITY! A PEACE OFFICER OF THE STATE. I’d like to meet you someday Karen VeLIE to set the record straight.


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You speak the truth? You didn’t say anything. What is the truth? Speak up. It is the CCPOA who is so strong it has stopped the installation of cameras inside prisons at key points to catch ALL activity so guards themselves won’t be caught breaking the law. You really need to speak your relative. Or maybe that is not really a reliable source after all.


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There was a OIA Investigation done and these were the findings!! If it wasn’t true then maybe Warden Valenzuela should have responded with something better than “this is a personal matter”.


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The TRUTH is that what they did is ILLEGAL,

but done all the time whenever Upper Staff, including the Captain and the Warden decide to help their BEST SNITCHES get paroled…!

It appears that the marijuana disciplinary 115 was pulled because that inmate was a Huge snitch who has been giving up information on other inmates for a long time to the Security Squad, so they felt that a “in house” disciplinary 115 shouldn’t get in the way of his parole…

They just didn’t realize that there was reference to his 115 in a confidential file that hadn’t been deleted…THEY GOT CAUGHT THIS TIME…


The inmate is most likely in a Protective Custody Cell for the duration of his / he/she’s sentence…


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Gal,

You appear to be a reliable source. Would you please provide us with information to the contrary that will place these two in a favorable light.


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