By The Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – There are more questions about a now former Sacramento County Sherriff’s Dept. deputy convicted of impersonating a peace officer and in possession of illegal firearms as announced Friday by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors reported Hector Josue Chavez pleaded no contest to a felony charge of illegal possession of an assault weapon and a misdemeanor charge of impersonating an officer, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday in a news release.
But the DA statement said Chavez won’t be actually sentenced until December of 2024, a year from Friday.
Prosecutors did divulge Chavez is expected to be sentenced to a court offer of 180 days in jail and probation, but details were scarce whether it would be jail time, community service or if the charges will be subject to diversion – where charges are dismissed after a period of time.
There was no mention of the shoplifting arrest at Home Depot in Elk Grove that led to the felony charge.
And an online search of the case indicates one or both of the charges may be dismissed at the sentencing date, said the Sacramento Bee.
“Chavez entered The Home Depot in Elk Grove and took merchandise without paying (in April of 2023),” according to the DA very short statement, adding, “A loss prevention officer confronted Chavez and Chavez fled on foot. When Elk Grove police officers later detained Chavez, they found him with the merchandise. As a result, Chavez was suspended from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office and his law enforcement powers were revoked.”
The statement added, “Over the next five months, Chavez used an old Sheriff’s Office Identification Card to purchase multiple firearms, which only law enforcement officers are lawfully allowed to possess. On August 25, 2023, Sacramento sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at Chavez’s residence and found multiple firearms that had been converted to assault weapons.”
“Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office, declined to answer questions about the prosecution’s scheduled motion to dismiss or the details of Chavez’s sentence, including whether Chavez will be allowed to serve his jail sentence through community service or some other type of jail alternative program, how long his probation is, whether he is now prohibited from owning or possessing any firearms,” wrote The Bee.
