The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is in turmoil after a report revealed Sheriff Christina Corpus used homophobic and racist slurs in text messages, and that there was a scheme to conceal rifles. The Board of Supervisors is taking steps to amend the county charter to empower it to remove the sheriff if voters pass the measure next year.
Corpus has not resigned as of press time November 22, though all five captains in the sheriff's office have called for her ouster, alongside all of San Mateo County's state and federal representatives, and numerous local representatives. Elected in 2022, Corpus has been the first woman elected sheriff of San Mateo County since taking office in 2023. She has been with the department since 2002 and is one of the first Latina sheriffs in California.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted November 19 to place a charter amendment on the ballot in a special election March 4 that would allow the board to remove the sheriff. It needs to be passed at a second meeting December 3, according to a news release from the county.
The charter amendment would authorize the Board of Supervisors to remove an elected sheriff for cause, which means violation of any law related to the performance of sheriff's duties, flagrant or repeated neglect of the sheriff's duties, misappropriation of public funds, willful falsification of official statements or documents, or obstruction of any investigation into the conduct of a sheriff, according to the release.
"Such an extraordinary move could take place only after a four-fifths vote by the Board of Supervisors and only after giving the sheriff written notice and an opportunity to be heard publicly," the release stated. "These safeguards mean the board could only apply the charter amendment to a sheriff that egregiously violates the public trust and the oath of office."
Damning report
The 400-page report, released November 12, was compiled by retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, a lesbian, who declined to comment to the Bay Area Reporter. Cordell's report painted a damning picture of Corpus, KGO-TV reported.
Corpus has denied the allegations she has used a homophobic slur. The report states, "On July 13, 25, 2022 and August 15, 2022, Sheriff Corpus sent the civilian employee (#3) text messages criticizing a local City Council member by calling her 'Fuzz Bumper,' a homophobic slur directed at lesbians."
The same civilian employee states that in 2022, Corpus used the N-word twice in reference to then-Sheriff Carlos Bolanos, whom the civilian employee was speaking with on a Zoom call (the civilian employee's audio was muted and so the others in the meeting couldn't hear the slur).
"The civilian employee's adult son is biracial — (African American/Caucasian) and identifies as African American," the report states. "Corpus knows her son because he volunteered for Corpus' campaign for sheriff. The civilian employee was stunned and upset yet remained silent out of fear of retaliation."
The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office didn't immediately return a request for comment for this report.
San Mateo County Supervisors Ray Mueller and Noelia Corzo announced November 21 that the forensic evidence confirmed the homophobic slur came from Corpus' phone. They also revealed a November 14 memorandum from Undersheriff Dan Perea to Corpus informing her of a scheme to conceal three rifles at the sheriff's office. Victor Aenlle, Corpus' former chief of staff, allegedly had access to the rifles — which was potentially a felony since Aenlle had since become a civilian employee, according to the memo, which stated that Aenlle instructed Perea to change the code to the safe in which the weapons were held several times.
Perea stated he refused; Aenlle reportedly told him, "This is how they're going to get me."
According to reports, Corpus is involved in a romantic relationship with Aenlle. He was previously the department's chief of staff and has been elevated to assistant sheriff. Corpus has denied the relationship, but Cordell's report alleges it has existed since 2021.
KTVU-TV reported that the same day the report was released, Corpus arrested Carlos Tapia, the president of the Deputy Sheriff's Association, on suspicion of felony grand theft and theft by false pretenses.
The station also reported on an internal memo where Corpus said she is not resigning.
San Mateo supervisors stated Corpus has eroded trust in the community.
"We need a sheriff we can trust," Corzo stated in a news release. "As a community, we must stand united against lies and corruption, especially when it continues to harm our own people."
Mueller and Corzo had already called upon Corpus to resign. They've been joined by Congressmember Kevin Mullin (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), outgoing Congressmember Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), state Senator Josh Becker (D-San Mateo), and Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto), and Diane Papan (D-San Mateo), who issued a joint statement November 18.
"This damning report coupled with the dismissals and resignations of the entire command staff of the Sheriff's Office demonstrate that this is an agency in crisis," the joint statement reads, in part. "Our county can no longer afford the chaos and failed leadership of Christina Corpus. Our communities deserve better."
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