Ex-Deputy Guilty of Thefts in Department

A former Ventura County sheriff’s deputy once decorated for preventing a man from killing himself pleaded guilty Thursday to two felony counts of grand theft against his former employer.

Darryl Dunn, 39, of Ventura admitted stealing a laptop computer valued at $3,500 that belonged to the Sheriff’s Department, as well as stealing about $4,800 in the form of overtime pay for hours he never worked, said Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Frawley.

Dunn, who was suspended from his West County patrol position after his November 1995 arrest and left the department in February, also pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of attempted theft after he was caught filing more false overtime claims, Frawley said.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 21. According to Frawley, Superior Court Judge Thomas Hutchins said Thursday that he may consider reducing the felony charges to misdemeanors during sentencing.

Dunn was assigned to the La Conchita landslide early last year and, in the course of his duties, stole a Toshiba laptop computer, Frawley said.

“It was a piece of equipment available for use by all of the deputies and he stole it,” Frawley said. The theft occurred on March 12, 1995, he said.

During a separate investigation, prosecutors learned of the false overtime claims.

Dunn submitted and was paid for 17 false overtime claims in 1995, prosecutors said. “He filled out overtime slips when he really did not work the extra time,” Frawley said.

While authorities were investigating the claims for which Dunn was paid they discovered more claims for which he was not entitled payment, Frawley said. Those claims amount to a misdemeanor because the former deputy was never paid the money, he said.

Frawley would not discuss the investigation while Dunn awaits sentencing. As for the punishment the ex-deputy is facing, “We could expect jail time. But how many months or days, I don’t know,” he said.