Jason Lei has returned to the U.S. from the Philippines and faces charges that he embezzled an undisclosed amount of money from the sheriff’s association as a deputy and union treasurer.
According to his attorney, Carolyn Keeley, the former San Benito County Sheriff’s Office deputy recently flew to San Francisco International Airport, from the Philippines, and was taken into custody as he expected.
Keeley, who started informal plea-deal talks with District Attorney Candice Hooper before Tuesday’s warrant return hearing, also contended after the proceeding, in an interview with the Free Lance, that the former sheriff’s office deputy was initially unaware of the arrest warrant issued in 2010. She said Lei had been in the Philippines when the warrant was issued and that he later realized it.
Keeley said Lei, who declined to comment after the hearing, wanted to “do the right thing.”
“He didn’t have to come back,” she said. “He wanted to make things right.”
Being a former deputy, Lei had fully expected his arrest at the airport, she said.
At his warrant return hearing Tuesday, Lei pleaded not guilty. It was more than three years after the Hollister Police Department filed charges against Lei, now age 40, alleging embezzlement and unauthorized use of an access card.
Wearing a suit in court Tuesday morning, he agreed to a preliminary hearing set for July 16. His attorney at the hearing indicated the defense would work toward a plea agreement. Deputy District Attorney Patrick Palacios is assigned to the case, however, and later that day said he had not discussed any plea agreements in the case.
As for the initial investigation, the Hollister Police Department handled the case in 2010 to prevent a conflict of interest in the sheriff’s office.
The HPD handled the Ray Wood embezzlement case itself a couple of years ago. Also a former cop, the ex-sergeant accepted a plea deal for embezzling about $100,000 from the police union while he had been president of the group. Wood was sentenced to six months in jail and served a standard half-time penalty of three months.
