Paso Robles man sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement

May 5, 2026

Robert Conrad Vasquez

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A San Luis Obispo County judge on Tuesday sentenced a Paso Robles man to four years and four months in prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from an Atascadero business.

In May 2024, the owner of Scott O’Brien Fire and Safety contacted the Atascadero Police Department to report a suspected case of employee embezzlement. Investigators determined Robert Conrad Vasquez, then the company’s chief operations officer, stole funds from the business from Feb. 2019 through Sept. 2023.

Vasquez, now 38, stole company funds to pay his rent each month and to make frequent payments toward his personal credit cards, according to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

On Feb. 2, Vasquez entered a no contest plea to five felony counts of grand theft and one misdemeanor count of possessing an assault weapon. Vasquez also admitted the theft offenses were related felonies and involved a taking of more than $100,000.

Under the plea agreement, the district attorney’s office agreed to seek a sentence of no more than six years in prison.

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, the victim estimated a loss from Vasquez’s theft of between $400,000 and $600,000. Deputy District Attorney Ben Blumenthal argued that Vasquez’s conduct called for the maximum sentence under the plea agreement.

Upon listening to the victim impact statements, as well as arguments from the prosecution and defense, Judge Michael Frye sentenced Vasquez to four years and four months in state prison.

Frye ordered Vasquez to be remanded to the custody of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office so he can be transported to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to begin serving his prison sentence. A restitution hearing in the case is set for June 24.

After the sentencing hearing, District Attorney Dan Dow issued a statement saying Vasquez’s punishment sends a clear message.

“Today’s sentence in the Robert Conrad Vasquez case sends a clear message: when a trusted employee steals from a local small business, it is not just a crime on the books, it is a profound betrayal that threatens the jobs and stability that business provides to our community,” Dow said in the statement. “Embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Scott O’Brien Fire and Safety didn’t just hurt one owner—it undermined a small business that protects lives and employs local families, and that kind of conduct drags down our local economy. In our criminal and victim justice system, we will continue to stand with small business owners, hold white-collar offenders accountable, and fight to ensure that those who abuse positions of trust face serious consequences.”