Latest News – February 5

Former Deputy Sentenced Yesterday for Embezzlement

Former Lake County Sheriff Sergeant Jeffrey Hartman was sentenced yesterday, February 4 to two years of supervised probation for Official Misconduct and two years deferred judgment and 100 hours community service for Embezzlement of Public Property for removing an assault rifle from the Lake County Sheriff’s evidence room.

Former Lake County Law Enforcement Officer Jeffrey Hartman sentenced on February 4, 2016 for embezzlement.

The sentences are concurrent and Hartman cannot possess firearms during the probation period. Hartman, who served as an evidence custodian, plead guilty on January 21.

“My top priority as the district attorney is to ensure confidence in public officials and law enforcement, most of whom are honest professionals who protect us and our system of government,” said Fifth Judicial District Attorney Bruce Brown.

“Preservation of evidence is critical to the legitimacy of our judicial system and law enforcement officers are angered when they hear of a colleague who abuses the privilege to serve our community,” Brown added.

Hartman was found in possession of an assault rifle that Deputy Sheriff William Berry had given to him. The rifles were to be destroyed when they went missing.

In April 2014 a scheme to sell guns out of the evidence room was discovered when a citizen complained that he had paid Berry for a .38 semi-automatic handgun but had not received it. The citizen’s complaint alerted officials to a possible theft of evidence triggering an investigation coordinated by the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s office.

Berry auctioned the Colt handgun for more than $2,300 after purchasing it for $500. The weapon had been seized as evidence during an unrelated domestic violence investigation Berry initiated as the responding officer. Berry later removed the seized firearms from the evidence room and duped the wife of the accused in the domestic violence incident into transferring ownership to him for $500 in cash. 

All four of the missing weapons were recovered and returned to the County Sheriff’s office during the course of the investigation.

On May 15, 2015 Berry was found guilty of Embezzlement of Public Property and Official Misconduct and sentenced to three years of supervised probation on the Embezzlement charge and three years concurrent probation and 100 hours of community service for Official Misconduct.