Embattled San Mateo sheriff says she is 'here to stay' in internal memo

SAN MATEO, Calif. - For the third time, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus on Wednesday addressed allegations levied against her, calling accusations of racial and homophobic remarks alleged by county officials, false.

In a memo to all sheriff's office employees, she refuted the allegations outlined in an internal memo and declined to resign.

"I am completely baffled, shocked, and dismayed about the inquiry and its many falsehoods," she said. "Claims that I am a racist and a homophobic are not true. I have never and would never use those words."

San Mateo County Supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller on Tuesday revealed the findings of a 400-page independent report investigating allegations of retaliation, racism, and abuse of authority. The investigation followed a series of complaints against Corpus and her civilian chief of staff, Victor Aenlle.

"Notably, one individual, Victor Aenlle, who Sheriff Corpus appointed, was central to many of these complaints," said Supervisor Noelia Corzo. "As stated in the report, and I quote, 'Aenlle has repeatedly exceeded and abused his authority with the knowledge and approval of Sheriff Corpus.'"  

Judge LaDoris Cordell, who wrote the report, found that Corpus and Aenlle are "obsessed with loyalty that borders on paranoia."

Cordell also disclosed accusations of an intimate relationship between Corpus and Aenlle, which Corpus vehemently denied.

Among the allegations, is that Aenlle was promoted to work in Corpus' office despite having a background in real estate and not law enforcement. 

Cordell also found that Corpus repeatedly recommended pay raises for him and had him working directly underneath her, in violation of the Sheriff's Office's conflict of interest policies. 

Cordell found that fear of retaliation is "rampant" in the office and Corpus even fired a deputy who took part in the judge's investigation.

The report also alleged that Corpusl had uttered and texted racist and homophobic messages.

Corzo said the Board of Supervisors learned Tuesday that Corpus had arrested a deputy in her office, San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff's Association president Carlos Tapia, on suspicion of felony grand theft by false pretenses. 

The union immediately condemned the arrest, saying it had "all the earmarks of whistleblower retaliation" in the wake of Cordell's report.

"You might remember that Carlos Tapia also brought the vote of no confidence against Aenlle," said Corzo. "While we don't know the facts surrounding the arrest or the merits of the case, we know it is highly irregular in San Mateo County for the Sheriff's Office to conduct a criminal investigation and arrest a member of their own department. Such an investigation would typically be turned over to the district attorney for handling."

Corzo agreed with the Deputy Sheriff's Association, saying that Tapia was one of the people who reported a whistleblower complaint against Aenlle and that the timing and circumstances of Corpus' arrest of him are "highly troubling, especially given the other findings of Judge Cordell's investigation."

In her report, Cordell concluded, "Lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuses of authority are all the hallmarks of the Corpus administration. Corpus should step down and Victor Aenlle's employment with the Sheriff's Office should be terminated immediately. Nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized."  

Corpus arrested Tapia herself after he surrendered to the charges against him. 

Tapia was released on bond and has been placed on administrative leave, the Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Katy St. Clair from Bay City News contributed to this report.