San Luis Obispo County administrator’s history of embezzlement

April 20, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

The man selected to serve as San Luis Obispo County’s administrative officer was previously found guilty of felony embezzlement, an approximately 30-year-old conviction.

Regardless, the SLO County Board of Supervisors is slated to officially appoint Matthew Pontes during Tuesday’s board meeting to head the county. Pontes is expected to be paid $419,969 in salary and benefits per year, according to a staff report.

After working as chief administrative officer for Shasta County for about a year and a half, in June 2022 he left after a county supervisor discovered Pontes had been convicted of several crimes in the 90s, including embezzlement. At the time, Pontes admitted his past transgressions.

In a statement posted by Action News in 2022, Pontes argues he committed a petty theft offense of $420. He then pleaded guilty to felony embezzlement. The charge was later expunged from his record.

SLO County’s public relations arm, Jeanette Trompeter, quickly responded to questions about Pontes’ history saying the county was fully aware of the conviction before selecting him.

“The Board is aware of a 30-year-old theft conviction for Mr. Pontes when he was 20 years old,” Trompeter write an email to members of the press. “Just as none of us would want to be punished for the mistakes of our youth for which we have made amends, the board is confident this was a one-time incident for which he paid the price and has since then offered 30 years of reputable public service.”

Pontes is in line to replace John Nilon, who was terminated in Nov. 2023 because of allegations of sexual misconduct. During his short tenure, multiple county employees and others accused Nilon of inappropriate touching.

Prior to Nilon’s appointment to the administrative officer position, Supervisor Debbie Arnold argued the  county had not properly vetted Nilon.

For years, federal investigators have looked into allegations of corruption in the county, primarily related to former Supervisor Adam Hill’s many pay-to-play schemes. Helios Dayspring pleaded guilty and was convicted of bribing Hill.

Late last year, Ryan Wright was arrested regarding allegations he and his partner attorney John Belsher bribed Hill while defrauding investors in local development projects.