By Michael G. Stogner
Update 11:15AM 12/21/2020 Barbara Bonilla appeared per Zoom, Next Court Date: Jan 20, 2021 1:30 PM SDR and Feb. 4, 2021 Preliminary Hearing.
12/21/2020 9:00 AM Courtroom 4B Arraignment 20SF013661A
San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Michael Wendler
The main Question is What Happened to the Laundering Investigation?
Here are the current charges:
BONILLA, BARBARA
| Description | Statute | Level | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 03/01/2017 | |
| 002 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 09/15/2017 | |
| 003 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 10/14/2018 | |
| 004 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 12/18/2018 | |
| 005 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 02/15/2019 | |
| 006 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 03/01/2019 | |
| 007 | PC487(a)-FEL-Grand Theft By Embezzlement | 487(a) | Felony | 10/21/2019 |
On February 10, 2020 Barbara Bonilla was escorted from her office of Executive Director of San Mateo County Sheriff Activities League (SAL). The SAL is a division of the Sheriff’s Office. At that time Barbara Bonilla was employed by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Barbra Bonilla is well connected and well known for her Fund Raising abilities. She was also Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos’s Campaign Manager for his 2018 run for Sheriff. April 2017 She donated $1,000 to his campaign. She was on the Boards of National PAL, California PAL, Redwood City Rotary, San Mateo County Parks and Rec Commission.
In May of 2020 she resigned from the Sheriff’s Office. Why? She was not charged with any crime and even if she was it doesn’t mean there is any evidence of a crime. The former Sheriff Deputy Juan P. Lopez case is a prefect example of that. “Smuggling a Cell Phone and Drugs to a Hells Angel Gang member in SMC Jail.” ZERO evidence to support those charges, they were dismissed.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe referred the Criminal Investigation to the State of California Attorney General because he was a member of the board of SAL. He wanted to avoid the Appearance of a Conflict of Interest. That is always a Good Idea when Public Trust is an issue.
San Mateo County Sheriff’Office should have done the same. Why would Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos and all Sheriff Employees think they should Investigate Barbara Bonilla at all. If Steve Wagstaffe couldn’t Investigate it for an Appearance of a Conflict of Interest certainly the Sheriff’s Office had more of a Conflict of Interest.
The A.G.’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office worked together in the Criminal Investigation of Embezzlement & Laundering. The DOJ had expected to have Barbara Bonilla Arrested as early as April 2, 2020, but that arrest did not occur. Why?
Laundering Money, one of the easiest ways to accomplish this is Prepaid Gift Cash Cards you buy at many Stores. Did this element exist in the SAL Investigation? YES it did.
Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos News Release December 4, 2020 Bonilla Arrest
The last sentence in the SMCSO News Release dated December 4, 2010 says: “this investigation is still underway and being handled by an outside agency.” It doesn’t identify that outside agency WHY?
When I asked SMCDA Steve Wagstaffe who’s Criminal Investigation was this he informed me it was the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
December 12, 2020
Good morning Michael,
It was charged by the Attorney General’s Office, so it would be described as a DOJ case. I believe that is how it would be listed in statewide statistics, since I believe they list the prosecuting agency. But the investigating agency would be the Sheriff’s Office.
Thanks
Steve
At this moment it is still unclear Who the Investigative Agency was and is.
Normally I would attend the Court proceeding, Today I will not, there is a Pandemic. Stay Safe
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