MARTINEZ — A Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputy who was arrested by his personal company in late August had reportedly used a falsified police report back to steal firearms from a property room containing proof seized in legal investigations, in keeping with a possible trigger assertion written by investigators.
Matthew Buckley, 41, of Pinole, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft of firearms, receiving stolen property, illegal switch of a firearm, falsifying a police report, destroying or concealing proof, and possessing methamphetamine allegedly discovered throughout a search of his dwelling. He posted bail and was launched shortly after his arrest.
Final week, Contra Costa District Lawyer Diana Becton recused herself from a submitting choice on Buckley. The deputy served as bailiff to Becton 15 years in the past, when Becton was a decide. No choice has but been made about whether or not to file fees towards Buckley, or what offenses to cost him with. Additionally it is unclear whether or not one other Contra Costa prosecutor will make the choice or if the Lawyer Normal will step in.
Court docket data allege that Buckley’s crime concerned misrepresenting that a Superior Court docket decide had licensed him to take weapons from a property room, when the weapons had been supposed to stay within the court docket’s possession. Authorities say the crime was solely found after the person whose weapons had been seized by police started always checking in about their whereabouts.
The weapons are described in court docket data as two AR-15 rifles that Buckley allegedly saved at his dwelling.
Buckley was named in a 2019 federal lawsuit filed by a Bay Level couple who claimed deputies confirmed as much as the flawed dwelling and violently arrested the person, after the lady had referred to as police to report her neighbors had been preventing. Based on the lawsuit, Buckley knocked the person to the bottom and prompted lacerations to his chin in the course of the wrongful arrest. The county paid the couple $98,000 to settle the lawsuit.
Buckley was a 15-year veteran of the sheriff’s workplace who was well-respected by friends till the alleged crimes got here to gentle, in keeping with a number of legislation enforcement sources who know him. He was named the division’s “Officer of the 12 months” in 2019 for his work the earlier yr.
Buckley couldn’t be reached for remark and it's unclear whether or not he has retained an legal professional.
The investigation is ongoing. Anybody with any info is requested to contact the Investigation Division at 925-313-2600 or by means of Sheriff’s Workplace dispatch at 925-646-2441. For any suggestions, e mail: suggestions@so.cccounty.us or name 866-846-3592 to depart an nameless voice message.
Earlier this yr, in an unrelated however comparable case, a Contra Costa Sheriff’s volunteer was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor in a case the place the volunteer had been allowed to take gun elements and bullets from a county sheriff’s gun vary.