Ex-L.A. County Sheriff Villanueva Expected to Testify on Deputy Gangs

LOS ANGELES, CA — More than a year after being voted out of office, former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is expected to appear Friday in front of the county's Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission after years of resisting subpoenas to testify under oath about deputy gangs.

Villanueva's lawyer notified the commission of the decision in a letter last month stating that Villanueva "is very willing to testify" at the meeting and will "answer any questions you have under oath."

The decision came days after a county judge scheduled a hearing to decide whether to order the former sheriff to comply with the commission's subpoenas.

In an interview with ABC7 published Dec. 26, Villanueva maintained his position that "there are no deputy gangs." He has also downplayed the behavior, describing it as "subgroups of people that somehow occasionally engage in misconduct."

However, a report last April by a special counsel appointed by the commission described deputy gangs as a "cancer" that "must be excised."

Last year, the commission's special counsel issued a 70-page report, saying at least a half dozen deputy gangs or cliques are currently active throughout the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, and that misbehavior by members has already cost taxpayers more than $55 million.

The report determined that new deputy cliques form as members of existing groups retire or otherwise leave the sheriff's department.

The special counsel also found evidence to suggest that gangs are re- emerging in the Men's Central Jail after efforts over the years to eradicate the problem of excessive force behind bars.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to implement the commission in January 2016 with the mission to oversee and improve transparency and accountability with respect to the department.

The legal dispute with the former sheriff began in 2020, after the supervisors granted the commission subpoena power, which voters then affirmed by approving Measure R. A few months later, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law granting subpoena power to oversight bodies statewide.

Also in 2020, the commission issued a subpoena directing the sheriff to testify about his response to COVID-19 inside the jails, and the dispute ended up in court, with Villanueva avoiding a contempt hearing by agreeing to answer the commission's questions voluntarily.

Oversight officials issued more subpoenas, and Villanueva resisted them, which led to multiple court cases.

The former sheriff is running for county supervisor against incumbent Janice Hahn.

City News Service