OC Politics Blog | Category Archives: OC Sheriff

OC Sheriff Hutchens responds to complaints about Theo Lacy Jail

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Editor Posted in Immigrants, OC Sheriff, Orange County, Sandra Hutchens 1 Comment

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Responds to Homeland Security Report

Yesterday, a report was released concerning the Theo Lacy Jail. Several things in the report were not accurate and did a disservice to the hard working individuals who operate our custody facilities. Unfortunately, some media outlets choose to cover the report in a sensational manner that painted a misleading “Shawshank-like” picture of Orange County jail facilities.

The report was based on an inspection done by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General in November 2016. Some legitimate issues were identified in the report and were quickly addressed. Many of the other issues raised were inaccurate and can be refuted. In an effort to provide the public with transparency and a more accurate account of our operations, I have itemized the concerns raised in the report and provided our response (see below). Continue reading→

The O.C. Sheriff’s Department selects Lane Lagaret as their new Public Information Officer

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Editor Posted in OC Sheriff, Orange County Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. (March 3, 2025) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is pleased to introduce our new Public Information Officer (PIO), Lt. Lane Lagaret.

Lt. Lagaret has worked for the Sheriff’s Department for 27 years, serving in a variety of roles in the organization. Before promoting to Sergeant in 2006, he worked as a Jail Deputy, Patrol Deputy, Motorcycle Deputy and a Tactical Officer at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Academy. Continue reading→

Former OC Deputy Sheriff convicted of faking a workers’ comp injury while doing CrossFit

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Editor Posted in Crime, OC Sheriff, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16CF2709

Date: February 21, 2025

FORMER OCSD DEPUTY CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL FOR COMMITTING INSURANCE FRAUD AGAINST COUNTY OF ORANGE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputy was convicted and sentenced to six months in Orange County jail and three years informal probation today on charges for committing insurance fraud by failing to disclose his true physical abilities and activities to his health care providers. Nicholas Zappas, 36, Laguna Niguel, pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of insurance fraud. In addition to his jail time and probation, Zappas was ordered to pay $34,838.97 in restitution to the County and $1,000 to the Worker’s Compensation Fraud Assessment Fund. The defendant is also required to dismiss his 2011 and 2015 worker’s compensation claims with prejudice as a condition of his probation.

At the time of the crimes, Zappas was employed as an OCSD deputy for approximately 14 years. Continue reading→

The U.S. Justice Dept. is finally investigating the OC Sheriff and the OCDA

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Editor Posted in OC Sheriff, OCDA, Orange County, Sandra Hutchens, Santa Ana, Tony Rackauckas Leave a comment

Tony Rackauckas and Susan Kang Schroeder

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 15, 2024

Justice Department Opens Investigations of Orange County, California, District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Department

The Justice Department today opened a civil pattern-or-practice investigation into the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Continue reading→

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens addresses the release of her special handling log

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Editor Posted in Corruption, Courts, Crime, OC Sheriff, OCDA, Orange County, Sandra Hutchens, Santa Ana 1 Comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Mark Stichter, 714.904.7042, [email protected]

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Addresses Release of Special Handling Log

SANTA ANA, Ca. (December 05, 2024) – Today, pages from the special handling log were released by the Orange County Superior Court. The discovery of the log was part of a process initiated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (“OCSD”) to respond to discovery requests and subpoenas in criminal cases. The process of discovering the logs, reviewing and submitting them to the court has been a methodical and coordinated endeavor. The OCSD has taken several steps to locate additional classification and special handling notes/records and to improve recordkeeping and internal processes.

The following is an outline detailing our efforts over the last ten months: Continue reading→

The OC Sheriff has hired a new Constitutional Policing Advisor

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Editor Posted in Attorneys, Courts, OC Sheriff, Orange County Leave a comment

Lt. Mark Stichter, 714.904.7042, [email protected]; Carrie Braun, 714.552.5795, [email protected]

OCSD Welcomes Constitutional Policing Advisor Mary Izadi

SANTA ANA, Calif. (August 16, 2024) – Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has hired Mary Izadi as the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s first Constitutional Policing Advisor. Ms. Izadi was selected from a group of well-qualified applicants by an outside panel of constitutional policing experts after an open recruitment process. The panel included Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Irvine School of Law, Robert Gerard, attorney and former Orange County Bar Association President, and Laurie Levenson, professor at Loyola Law School. Continue reading→