O.C. Sheriff’s Captain Faces 16 Charges

An Orange County sheriff’s captain was charged Tuesday with illegally soliciting 16 colleagues for donations to the reelection campaign of Sheriff Michael S. Carona.

The state attorney general’s office charged Capt. Christine Murray with 16 misdemeanor counts of soliciting political contributions from other Sheriff’s Department employees. She is to be formally arraigned Sept. 28.

Murray allegedly contacted four other captains, 10 lieutenants and two civilian directors in May to solicit campaign contributions for Carona, according to the complaint.

Each violation carries up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000. But if she is convicted on all counts, it is unlikely she will face the maximum eight-year sentence, according to a spokesman for the state attorney general’s office.

California’s chief law officials agreed to investigate the case at the request of the Sheriff’s Department and the county district attorney’s office.

Murray, who has worked for the department for more than 20 years, could not be reached for comment.

Last year, she became the fifth woman in the department to make captain, and now oversees operations in unincorporated areas north of Irvine.

She was previously lieutenant in charge of narcotics, gangs and vice investigations, and the investigative commander during the July 2002 kidnapping and murder of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion.

“The captain has had an exemplary record with many years of service, and we look forward to the resolution of this matter,” said sheriff’s spokesman Jon Fleischman.

He declined further comment.

Carona was first elected in 1998 and is seeking a third term next year. He is being challenged by Sheriff’s Lt. William J. Hunt and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Commander Ralph W. Martin, who heads a patrol division.

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Times staff writer Jean O. Pasco contributed to this report.