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SLO City employee headed to cushy pay-to-stay jail

May 29, 2019

Chris Olcott

By JOSH FRIEDMAN and KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo city employee, whose unprovoked assault on a woman and a man at an Avila Beach bar caused public outrage, will serve his time behind bars at a “pay-to-stay” jail. [Cal Coast Times]

Earlier this year, Chris Olcott pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and received 60 days in jail with a three-year suspended sentence. Which means he will spend 30 days of incarceration, 15 in jail and 15 of home detention with an electronic ankle monitor.

Olcott, however, will not be spending time in the SLO County Jail. He has the finances to pay for special jail accommodations.

County prosecutors objected to the request, but Judge Jacquelyn Duffy approved it on Tuesday on the condition that the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office also allow the pay-to-stay arrangement. The sheriff’s office approved the arrangement.

The city of Santa Ana has already accepted Olcott as a potential inmate, at $140 for the first day and $110 for every day thereafter.

Olcott’s attorney, Ilan Funke-Bilu, said his client has received death threats because of outrage over the video of the assault, which was originally published by CalCoastNews.

Pay-to-stay jails are safer and often offer amenities such as newer beds and flat screen televisions.

Camile Chavez, one of Olcott’s victims, is frustrated with the pay-to-stay accommodations.

“I feel he committed the crime in SLO County and he should do his time in SLO County,” Chavez said. “The judicial system has been pretty lenient up till now, and they continue to be lenient.”

On May 28, 2016, Olcott was drinking at Mr. Rick’s in Avila Beach when he purposely bumped into Chavez, a special education teacher at Righetti High School. After he pushed her a second time, Chavez pushed back.

Within seconds, Olcott hit Chavez in the temple with his elbow, which knocked her unconscious.

Olcott then punched Chavez’s companion, Isaac McCormack, in the back of the head three times. Both Chavez and McCormick suffered concussions during the assault.

More than a year ago, city administrators discovered that Olcott had been arrested on felony and misdemeanor battery charges. Even so, Community Development Director Michael Codron awarded Olcott a promotion and a raise.

After CalCoastNews posted the video of the assault, city administrators placed Olcott on paid administrative leave while an outside investigator reviews the incident and Olcott’s past behavioral issues including a prior complaint of hostility towards a co-worker, a co-worker said.


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Dan Dow Must Go!


There was a recent sentencing of a couple trafficking a 15 year old out of a local hotel for prostitution.

They got a plea deal of only one year.


13

This is a clear case of government employee supremacism!


13

If you can pay your way out of the normal sentence you have an illegitimate government


18

This whole episode shows how things really work in SLO. First a couple of “crackers” on the jury decide the case based on racial bias, “ why should he lose his job over a couple of Mexicans”. Then when this comes to light the D.A’s Office doesn’t bring it to the court’s attention as possible juror misconduct. The court also ignores the issue, because it’s too much effort to undue what has been done and besides “ it’s just a bar fight between two Mexicans and a white guy, who is one of us.”

Once Olcott is convicted the probation department prepares a sentencing report (I wonder what was recommended) and the judge passes sentence, which is light, “because Olcott is one of us”; belongs to the same organizations, supports the same causes (progressive), etc.

Olcott gets 15 days and then, because he has the means he gets to pay to go to a nice jail, segregated from the “criminals” in a nice cell with a flat panel TV, dorm refrigerator and futon. Oh, and did I mention he can leave during the day and then “check back in at night” (because this is really just for show, demonstrating the spirit of “equality” under the law.)

If the roles had been reversed and some “dirty Mexican” had knocked Olcott out they would be on a bus to state prison as we speak. But Olcott is “one of us” and we can’t do anything that would hurt “one of us” because it might set a precedent that could hurt “all of us.”


46

Unfortunately you’re right.


5

It always comes back to Dow. Fifteen days for knocking a girl out and punching some dude who wasn’t looking. This guy should be fired and spent a year in PRISON!


57

You are 100% right!


15

It’s not like some deadbeat drywall hanger or dentist got drunk and punched a woman. Let’s keep this in perspective…..


We’re talking about a City Employee here. True, he’s not a law enforcement officer—and he’d make a fine cop. His violent instincts are spot on—-but he works for the same city cops work for and he breathes the same office air that elected leaders breathe, including police and politicians. He has probably helped a cop with paperwork before….or held the door for one. This endows him with special rights and merits.


Therefore, as a better human being, with more rights, and a better job and benefits than some creepy self-employed person, the law should not apply to him. He should be given special treatment! We all know this!! He works for the city folks…he might not be a saint, but he breathes the same air as saints and he should be able to punch whomever he wishes.


Hopefully, his salary will cover the costs of the nice jail and he can come back here to the Central Coast and make his triumphant return to Mr. Ricks and we can all buy him a drink and thank him for being a public servant.


In case he reads this: Mr. Olcott! You need to become a cop! You’re perfect.


21

Ain’t it the truth!


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