Police Officers Indicted For Alleged Embezzlement, Forgery
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - Two police officers have been indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury after being accused of falsifying reports and embezzling grant money intended to provide overtime for officers for patrol work.
Leonard Portugal, 47, and Ricardo Hernandez, 43, with the Mountain View Police Department are accused of "attempt to influence a public servant, forgery, embezzlement of public property, and theft," according to the First Judicial District Attorney's Office.
The Mountain View Police Department participates in several Colorado Department of Transportation grant programs for traffic enforcement. The grants provide overtime because the town is very small and has a limited number of officers.
The alleged falsifying of reports and time cards occurred between January, 2015 and June, 2016, Pam Russell with the district attorney's office said in a statement.
"Portugal and Hernandez are accused of submitting falsified Daily Field Activity Reports (DFAR) and time sheets associated with overtime hours provided by grants funds. As a result of falsified grant hours, Portugal was paid $24,935 of public monies that he did not earn and to which he was not entitled," Russell said in the statement. "Portugal is accused of having submitted at least 31 DFARS and time sheets claiming grant hours he did not work. Hernandez was paid $2,735 for hours he did not work as a result of falsified grant hours."
Russell said "Portugal was responsible for applying for the grants, organizing officers to work the overtime shifts, and reporting the statistical information to CDOT as required."
Both officers turned themselves in on Wednesday and are being held in the Jefferson County Detention Facility on $10,000 bond.