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Plumas County DA details prosecution, says former HR director convicted; board told of financial loss
Summary
A prosecutor briefing the Plumas County Board April 1 said the county’s former human-resources director has been convicted under Government Code section 1090 for negotiating raises that benefited herself and that the county suffered a direct cash loss of about $103,000 tied to the raises.
A prosecutor addressing the Plumas County Board of Supervisors on April 1 described the conviction of a former human-resources director for violating state conflict-of-interest law and outlined the county’s efforts to recover public funds.
The speaker, identifying himself as a prosecutor from the district attorney’s office, told the board that the former HR director negotiated and recommended raises for appointed department heads, including a raise for herself, during a closed session in May 2022 and that supporting documents presented to the board were backdated and, in the prosecutor’s words, falsified to avoid public scrutiny.
The prosecutor said his office filed criminal charges on Nov. 16, 2023 and that the former HR director was convicted under Government Code section 1090 (prohibiting public officers from entering into contracts in which they have a financial interest). He said sentencing is scheduled for May 16 and that the county’s loss in cash and related withholdings from the improperly approved salary increase is approximately $103,000; additional money will be sought through civil processes to recover the county’s loss.
The prosecutor told the board the department’s investigation and subsequent grand jury report were critical to revealing the pattern of conduct. He said the county lacked an auditor and a county administrator in 2022 and that the raises were approved with little public discussion. The prosecutor said he would provide the board, privately and as a personnel matter, with additional specific allegations and evidence of attempts to obstruct the investigation.
The board took no formal action while the speaker briefed supervisors. The prosecutor said he had consulted outside public-integrity units during the investigation and, consistent with his office’s approach, did not ask for incarceration for the convicted HR director, citing age and lack of criminal history. The prosecutor said the conviction triggers statutory consequences, including loss of eligibility to hold public office. He also said the county had legal remedies to recoup funds and that his office would continue to support restitution and recovery efforts.
Why it matters: The prosecutor’s presentation signals that the county and its residents will pursue recovery of public funds and that the case involved alleged manipulation of public records to secure pay increases in violation of state conflict-of-interest laws.
What’s next: Sentencing has been scheduled for May 16; the prosecutor said he would follow up with the board about additional personnel matters and evidence related to the case.
