O.C. probation officer charged with stealing money while executing search warrants on Santa Ana residences

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 17CF2998

Date: November 30, 2017

ORANGE COUNTY PROBATION OFFICER CHARGED WITH STEALING MONEY WHILE EXECUTING SEARCH WARRANTS DURING WORK

SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Orange County Probation Officer was arrested today on charges of stealing money while he was assigned to execute search warrants on residences in Santa Ana.

Defendant: Juan Manuel Rodriguez, 46, Orange County

Charged on Nov. 28, 2017, with:

• One felony count of grand theft
• Two misdemeanor counts of petty theft

Maximum Sentence: Three years in state prison and one year in county jail

Arraignment: TBD

Circumstances of the Case

• At the time of the crimes, Rodriguez was employed as an Orange County Probation Officer assigned to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Tactical Apprehension Team (TAT).
• On Aug. 8, 2017, the defendant is accused of assisting TAT in the execution of a search warrant at a residence located on Edinger Avenue in Santa Ana.
• Rodriguez is accused of contacting the victim and asking for his identification card, which was in the victim’s wallet.
• While the victim was in a separate area with OCSD deputies, the defendant is accused of stealing approximately $150 in cash from the victim’s wallet.
• After the victim was cleared, he reported the missing money to an OCSD sergeant at the scene.
• On Aug. 10, 2017, a “bait” car equipped with hidden video camera and $1,200 in cash in various denominations was set up by OCSD. The defendant, while participating in the execution of an unrelated search warrant on a residence located on North Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana, also searched the bait car.
• Rodriguez is accused of stealing $1,000 cash from the bait car. He is also accused of reporting and leaving only $1 bills in the car.
• Later the same day, Rodriguez is accused of possessing the money from the bait car in his wallet.
• On Nov. 30, 2017, OCSD, who investigated this case, located and arrested the defendant.

Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Angela Hong, Special Prosecutions Unit

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney
Michelle Van Der Linden,Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486