Santa Ana : Wanted: 2 Ex-Inmates, Some Unexpected Cash

Roman Landa’s reaction at receiving $609.52 when he left the County Jail in April is not known. What is known is that Landa should have received $9.52.

Two months later, on July 21, Nick Betancourt received $550.41 when he was released from the jail and turned over to a Ventura County sheriff’s deputy. He was supposed to get $16.46. The $500-plus belonged to Wilson Betancourt, not Nick.

The sheriff would like to hear from Landa and Nick Betancourt. The sheriff would like to get the money back.

In the meantime, county supervisors will be asked next Tuesday to absolve Sheriff Brad Gates of responsibility for the missing funds and to reimburse him for Nick Betancourt and Landa’s windfalls, and for $200 that was in a safe at the main jail the morning of Oct. 5, 1985, but gone that evening.

“All situations involving these losses have been investigated and where necessary the employee (responsible) has been counseled and/or reprimanded accordingly,” Gates said in a letter to the county auditor-controller requesting reimbursement.

“In addition, all attempts have been made to recover these funds.” No successes were reported.

The district attorney’s office reviewed the cases and concluded that there was no “fraud or gross negligence,” and no reason for that office to become involved.

Jail officials blamed the Landa loss on a faulty calculating machine and said in Betancourt’s case the inmate’s booking number was not checked. Both Landa and Betancourt were released from custody before the losses were discovered. The $200 loss from the safe occurred when cashiers were interrupted while counting the money and performed other duties.